Don't Even Bother
by GlassHawk
Summary: Completely overwhelmed with guilt and resentment over Garnet and Pearl's feud, Steven runs away from home. One problem: there isn't exactly anywhere to go. But what if, by pure coincidence, he was to meet the person (or gem) he least expected, the enemy? At least, who he used to consider the enemy. Begins after Ep. 63 "Cry for Help." Complete. Cover art by Candy-Vegetto.
1. Chapter 1

**How's it going, and welcome to the very first chapter of Don't Even Bother.**

 **I've been reading a ton of Steven Universe fanfics recently, in addition to watching the show of course. I've been dying to write a story for a little while now, but I've been a little hesitant to try to juggle this and my other multi chapter story, Cold Defense (Frozen, not Steven U). I think I can manage it, however, so here we go.**

 **WARNING: This chapter contains heavy amounts of angst/depression. It gets better later, I promise, but please keep this in mind as you begin reading.**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 **Author's Note**

 _ **Flashback**_

* * *

Steven couldn't quite put his finger on it.

He wasn't exactly sure where it began. Actually, that's a lie; he knew _exactly_ where it began. He just didn't want to believe it began at all. So just what was this mysterious event?

Well, it wasn't exactly just one. But it was the start of what was beginning to feel like an endless chain reaction. To keep it brief: it was the start of what was starting to feel like the end of the Crystal Gems.

* * *

 _ **Steven almost refused to believe it. What was Pearl doing fixing the communications hub? The very same one that Peridot was attempting to use to contact Homeworld! What was she trying to accomplish by essentially aiding the enemy?**_

 _ **"Hey, for some reason, Peridot kinda looks like... Pearl?"**_

 _ **Steven's observation through the telescope was suddenly interrupted by a shove from Amethyst. "What? Let me see!" She sincerely hoped Steven was kidding; she**_ _ **knew what the consequences would be if he wasn't.**_

 _ **Unfortunately, the boy proved to be correct. It was indeed Pearl who had used Peridot's escape pod to fix the communications hub yet again. She probably fixed it the second time, too.**_

 _ **"Oh, no."**_

* * *

 _ **Garnet and Pearl were about to begin their fusion dance, to form Sardonyx yet again. To disable the communications hub yet again.**_

 _ **Garnet was truly confused as to how Peridot could continually fix the hub. She didn't have access to her escape pod, meaning she could only use the technology she had on her, making the task extremely time consuming; doing so as quickly as she had the past few days should've been impossible. In addition to that, she was somehow continually avoiding her future vision. It was as if she was some kind of ghost.**_

 _ **Nevertheless, it didn't matter. The only thing that did matter was demolishing the hub again.**_

 _ **"STOP!"**_

 _ **Garnet and Pearl stopped cold. Both of them looked at Amethyst, who had been the one who yelled.**_

 _ **"...Is something the matter, Amethyst?" asked Pearl.**_

 _ **"You... you shouldn't..." replied Amethyst. Steven picked up where she left off.**_

 _ **"Pearl... we saw you."**_

 _ **Pearl's eyes grew wide. "What?"**_

 _ **"You need to tell Garnet it was you!"**_

 _ **Garnet's confusion only grew. "I don't understand."**_

 _ **Pearl could barely even look at the leader of the Crystal Gems. "...I'm sorry. It's just so much fun being Sardonyx with you."**_

 _ **Garnet threw Pearl to the ground.**_

 _ **"That's why I couldn't see us finding Peridot..."**_

 _ **Pearl tried to defend herself. "Wait, let me explain!"**_

 _ **"You've been fixing the hub!"**_

 _ **"It really was Peridot! The first time..."**_

 _ **Garnet didn't care. "You tricked me!"**_

 _ **"No, no no no no, no! We just needed a reason to fuse! I just wanted to share a few more victories with you!"**_

 _ **"Those weren't victories!" If Garnet was about to do something, she was interrupted by Amethyst.**_

 _ **"Wait, Garnet! We're so much weaker than you. Fusing with you is our one chance to feel stronger!"**_

 _ **"DON'T DEFEND HER! Peridot is out there somewhere, and Pearl's been distracting us with NOTHING!"**_ _ **Steven looked on at the whole fight. He had never seen Garnet**_ _ **so angry before.**_

 _ **"Garnet..." said Pearl.**_

 _ **"THAT'S ENOUGH! Amethyst! Fuse with me!"**_

 _ **"But..."**_

 _ **Garnet clenched her fist. "Let's just get this over with..."**_

 _ **Although neither gem really wanted to, Garnet and Amethyst combined to form Sugilite. When she was formed, the behemoth turned her attention to the tower. With one great swing of her fist, the entire tower was completely destroyed.**_

 _ **Pearl looked on.**_

* * *

Ever since discovering Pearl was responsible for the repair of the tower, Garnet refused to speak with said gem. It wasn't the repairing the tower part that bothered her, it was Pearl's selfish desires. She used Garnet to become more powerful, to form Sardonyx. To the leader of the Crystal Gems, fusion was everything. It was the reason Garnet existed. It was everything the relationship between Ruby and Sapphire stood for. It wasn't just a way to become stronger. It was a relationship. It was trust. And Pearl violated that trust.

Amethyst and Steven could only look on from a distance. Attempting to negotiate a peace between the two would be completely hopeless; the two gems would have to do it on their own.

Unbeknownst to the others, however, Steven was feeling the effects of this feud particularly hard. Because he was the one who essentially told Garnet that Pearl was the one who fixed the communications hub, he felt responsible for this whole mess. The specific details of what happened that day, how Amethyst was the one who stopped the two from fusing rather than allowing the cycle to continue, became lost and jumbled in the young boy's mind. Instead, he viewed the whole thing in a distorted light; he was the one who discovered Pearl fixing the hub, he was the one who told Garnet, he was the one who started the fight.

He was the one who started the fight.

Each subsequent day only furthered the crushing sense of guilt. Naturally, his personality changed greatly; it seemed to him like everyone was changing. Garnet became icy, completely shutting out Pearl and only sparingly conversing with Steven and Amethyst (whenever Steven was willing to talk at all). Pearl was also hit hard by Garnet's actions, as she too became an introvert, keeping to herself. Both gems still loved Steven, of course, but it was becoming harder to openly show it with all the negativity around them. Even Amethyst, despite her normal fun loving personality, became quieter and less active, mostly staying in her room.

Unfortunately, this also served as a way to cloud everyone's judgement, as all the gems, even Garnet with her future vision, failed to notice the depression that continued to consume the boy each and every day. The team was being torn apart. In the mind of Steven, he was the reason.

With his increasing despair also came sharp declines in his social life. He almost never stopped by the Big Donut, Beach Citywalk Fries, Funland Arcade or any of his other usual hangouts. He occasionally wondered if people like Lars and Sadie were missing him, but it didn't really matter. They couldn't possibly understand all of this gem stuff.

His relationship with Connie became strained. He never took the initiative to call her anymore, and despite her frequent attempts to reach out to him, he almost never reciprocated. Slowly, these attempts began to trickle away, until she almost never even attempted to seek him out anymore. One incident in particular stuck out in the boy's memory:

* * *

 _ **Steven and Connie found themselves sitting in the young gem's room, watching TV. The film playing was Dogcopter, one of their favorites, but neither was really paying attention, Connie in particular.**_

 _ **Nearly two weeks had passed since the last mission Steven had went on, and he had been a completely different person since then. The happy, caring, boy she once knew was gone, replaced with this sulking depressed shell of himself. The transition was truly breaking her heart; she hated seeing her friend struggle so much, especially considering he refused to say what was bothering him.**_

 _ **Now that she thought about it, it wasn't just Steven. From what she could gather the few times she had been over to his house since that mission, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl seemed just as down as Steven, if not more. It was as if the entire family was just in one big collective funk.**_

 _ **After a few more minutes of complete silence, she couldn't take it anymore.**_

 _ **"Steven!"**_

 _ **Steven's head snapped up, while simultaneously giving a grunt of surprise; he had clearly been zoned out. It seemed like he was always zoned out nowadays.**_

 _ **"What's up?"**_

 _ **Connie decided to not waste any time. "What's up? What's up is that you've been a completely different person since that last mission you went on! It's like someone else came and replaced the Steven I... I USED to know!"**_

 _ **Connie stopped and took a deep breath, giving herself a moment to collect her thoughts. She was hoping she might be able to get a reaction out of him, but he remained stoic. Sighing, she continued, although in a calmer tone.**_

 _ **"Look. It just seems like things have been different with you recently. You never want to hang out anymore, unless I show up on your front porch and almost force you to. Besides that, I never see you around town anymore, or with any of your other friends. Even my parents are starting to get a little concerned. Please... can you tell me what's wrong?"**_

 _ **Connie hoped that this would be enough to break through what was beginning to feel like an indestructible wall. Her heart dropped, however, when Steven simply shook his head.**_

 _ **"I'm sorry. I just can't."**_

 _ **Connie didn't believe him. "Steven, I just..."**_

 _ **"I SAID I CAN'T, ALRIGHT!" yelled Steven suddenly. Connie was completely shocked; in all her time knowing him, Steven had never yelled at her before like that. She could also tell that he was crying.  
**_

 _ **After a moment of awkward silence, Steven spoke up again.**_

 _ **"I'm sorry for yelling at you. But you should go."**_

 _ **"Steven..."**_

 _ **"Please."**_

 _ **Connie frowned and sighed to herself, standing up. She didn't want to risk another outburst from Steven like that.**_

 _ **As she headed down the stairs and to the front door, the sound of a door opening broke the quiet that had enveloped the house. Looking behind her, she saw that it was Pearl, who had just exited the temple. "Hi, Pearl."**_

 _ **Pearl looked down at the human with a sad expression. Her eyes appeared red. Nevertheless, she forced a smile. "Hello, Connie. Have you been practicing?" Connie nodded her head. She wasn't exactly telling the truth; she hadn't practiced her sword fighting in the last two weeks.**_

 _ **After the quick greeting, Pearl quickly walked outside the front door and away from the temple, to go do whatever. After standing in the same spot for almost a minute, Connie followed suit and exited the house. She just couldn't understand what was going on.**_

* * *

Connie hadn't visited Steven since that day. Nothing really changed around the temple; everyone still sulked around. Aside from Garnet going on a few solo missions every now and then, nobody really did anything relating to finding corrupted gems and such. Even the search for Peridot had taken a nosedive, as nobody could find in in them to really give it their all.

Although Connie almost never dropped by, Greg was another story. He too was in the dark when it came to the specifics of what was going on with the gems, but he still tried to do everything in his power to cheer up his son. Steven appreciated his father's efforts; after all, he still loved him to death, even now. Despite that, however, he still didn't say anything about what he was feeling to him, now matter how much information he pried for. Steven simply refused to say anything about what was going on in his head to anyone.

It truly hurt Steven to see things decline the way they were, but it felt like he couldn't do anything to reverse the trend. Garnet still absolutely refused to speak to Pearl; she wouldn't even be in the same _room_ with her anymore. There would be no truce in the near future. It would take something significant to happen before anyone would be willing to acknowledge the tension.

Something significant indeed.

One day, about a month into the team's whole mess, Steven decided to see how Pearl was doing. Standing in front of the temple door, the entrance opened, revealing the gem's room. As he stepped inside, however, he stopped dead in his tracks.

Pearl was sitting on one of the water tubes, holding a portrait. It was a portrait of Steven's mom. Rose Quartz.

Steven's curiosity was piqued. He strained to listen.

"... Oh Rose... if only you were here to help guide us. To lead us... why did you leave? We need you..."

Steven turned around and walked back outside the room as quietly as he could. As soon as the temple door closed, he punched the wall as hard as he could. His hand throbbed with pain, but he didn't care.

He was having a hard time forming a rational thought through his emotions, but he was able to gather that it sounded like Pearl would rather have Rose than himself. It only made sense; Pearl was apparently Rose's 'sole confidant'. If she really was as close to her as she said she was, it was obvious that she would rather have her leader back.

Steven knew that he may be overreacting, as Pearl constantly expressed remorse over the loss of Rose, but this felt different. In the worst of times, a person's true character comes out. And, at least to Steven, it felt like she was basically saying that she wanted Rose over himself. She had no idea he was in the room, so the only reason she would even say what she did out loud would be if she truly meant it. Is that how she always saw him? As Rose, only in someone else's body?

He knew he was being selfish by thinking this way. After all, he had his mother in his gem. Rose had sacrificed herself so he could be born. He wasn't part gem, part human for nothing. When he truly thought about it, however, he began to question just what his purpose on the team was. He had always loved going on missions and doing cool things with the gems, but now he, at least in his mind, had driven them apart. Besides that, it wasn't like he was particularly strong at anything, even when everyone was on speaking terms with each other. He could only summon his shield a couple times a day, and his healing powers were inconsistent at best. Compared to the other gems, he was a liability.

A liability.

A cold realization seeped into Steven's mind. If Pearl thought of him this way, what's to say the rest of the gems didn't? Sure, they would say to his face that they loved him, supported him, all that stuff, but what did they truly think of _him?_ Did they only feel obligated to act this way for Rose? What did they really see in him?

Steven shook his head. It didn't matter.

Nothing here did anymore.

Steven stormed up to his room. After packing his cheeseburger backpack with a few supplies he would need for the road, he scribbled a quick note, left it on the counter, and tiptoed out of the house, being careful not to wake Lion. When he reached the ground, he began to walk down the beach. Away from the Crystal Gems. Away from Beach City.

And he didn't look back.

* * *

 **And cut.**

 **Well, you can put the first chapter in the books. This is the first time I've ever really tried writing angst before, so let me know how I did. I know Steven's definitely OOC in this chapter, but don't worry, happy Steven will be back soon. Besides, he's had big emotional swings very quickly in the show before, so this isn't completely out of the blue.**

 **Anyways, what's coming up next? You'll have to tune in next time, same bat time, same bat channel. Well, maybe not the time, since I don't have a set schedule, but I'll try to update quickly. Yee.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello again, and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **Before we start the next chapter, I'd like to give a humongous shout-out to everyone that's read the story so far. I can't even begin to thank all of you enough, but thanks a million anyways.**

 **Well, I suppose that's really all I have to say. On with the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 **Author's Note**

* * *

"Log 719. This is Peridot, updating status. Still stuck on the planet known as Earth. My mission to observe the Clusters has been compromised. My new primary objective is to find transportation back to Homeworld to alert Yellow Diamond of all that has... happened here."

After her relatively brief log entry, Peridot moved her fingers back to their normal positions, removing the computer screen in front of her.

Now that she had recorded her daily log, Peridot took a look around the Kindergarten to see if anything was coming. Of course, the only thing that would make sense would be those Crystal Gems, so there really wasn't any point in expecting anything else. Nevertheless, nothing appeared to be on the horizon.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Peridot began to walk over to the elevator leading to the underground chamber where the Clusters used to be.

The Clusters... Peridot shook her head to herself. The Clusters had been discovered by the Crystal Gems recently, exposing the secret of Homeworld's fusion experiments, as well as the fate of those... traitors. Worse still, they had either been destroyed or taken to somewhere she couldn't access, as none of them remained at the Kindergarten.

Now that the Clusters were missing, there was really no point in staying on Earth anymore, as her mission was never to reactivate the Kindergarten. The only thing left to do was to head back to Homeworld.

That was a bit of a problem.

No matter how hard Peridot tried to think of a solution, there simply wasn't an answer to this dilemma, being stranded on Earth. Using the ship obviously wasn't an option, considering it was destroyed by, who else, the Crystal Gems. Her escape pod was also busted, and she had been forced to leave it behind in any event to avoid capture. None of her robonoids remained functional, making it impossible to repair the warp pad. And, in her most recent attempt to get off the planet, the communications hub was destroyed by... does it really need to be said who did it anymore?

Oh, and both the escort and the informant were missing. That didn't help either.

As Peridot stepped on to the elevator to go back down to the lower levels, she thought she heard what sounded like something hitting the ground somewhere in the distance. Her immediate reaction was to ready her finger gun, but she relaxed when it appeared to merely be a rock that fell from the top of the cliff.

As the elevator began to descend to the lower levels of the Kindergarten, Peridot's mind wandered to the hair trigger reaction she just had. She decided to attribute her increased state of nervousness to, well, nerves.

The reason Peridot was so on edge was fairly obvious, considering she was constantly being hunted by a group of gems that outnumbered and outmuscled her. She couldn't possibly hope to take them in a fight if it came to that; the only hope was to make it back to Homeworld and return with reinforcements. The Clusters could have also helped, but they weren't an option anymore.

As the elevator reached its destination, Peridot stepped off the platform and looked around the now familiar room. As she did so, she began to contemplate yet more ways to escape Earth, as well as ways to avoid the gems in the meantime. The only solution she came up with was one that she was already doing: hiding out in the Kindergarten.

The truth was that Peridot wasn't exactly sure why she chose the Kindergarten as her hiding place. The gems had access to and from it whenever they needed with that warp pad, and it was one of the most obvious locations to look for her. It almost seemed counterproductive to her objective of staying relatively invisible, hiding in a rather predictable hiding spot.

In spite of this, there were a couple of reasons why it was preferable to other locations. The first was that it was nearly completely isolated from those creatures that inhabited this planet, reducing the risk of being discovered by others. In addition, it was one of the only locations she was familiar with on Earth. It was at the very least a more comfortable environment that being, say, in the middle of a "desert" or whatever the term was they liked to use on this planet.

The final reason was a much more recent development, but a welcomed one nonetheless. In the past few weeks or so, Peridot couldn't help but notice how those Crystal Gems didn't appear to be on her tail quite as often as they used to be. She almost never found them snooping around the Kindergarten anymore, when it used to be that they would search for her there almost every day. Not only that, she hadn't had any face-to-face encounters with them since that one chase in, well, the Kindergarten. It was almost as if they had given up.

After exiting her rather extended train of thought, Peridot sighed to herself and walked over to a nearby rock, sitting down. She then began using her fingers' screen to browse all of the information she could gather on what's been going on at Homeworld while she was away. As usual, there was almost nothing.

Peridot could feel the anger rising in her throat. Try as she might, she just couldn't contain it.

"IS THERE NO WAY OFF THIS CRUDDY PLANET?!"

* * *

Steven stood pressed against the back wall of the Big Donut, checking the area for any signs of people. When he was confident nobody was nearby, he ran down the street as fast as he could, being careful to avoid the windows, as Lars and Sadie would probably see him from inside the shop.

Steven had seen a few movies where someone ran away from home before, and he and Amethyst actually did it rather successfully that one time, but attempting to pull it off for real was a very different experience. He had to find some way to get out of town as fast as he could without being noticed, a rather difficult feat considering the town was so compact.

Stealth was the key to make this whole operation work. If he was seen by anyone he knew (which was essentially everyone in Beach City), they could potentially stop him, or at the very least report to the gems the direction he had gone in if they began to search around town for him. He would have to escape completely undetected.

Weaving between houses and alleyways, Steven stopped in between two homes near the end of the road when he saw what appeared to be a car approaching. It wasn't Mayor Dewey's truck, as it didn't have the enormous head and the horn constantly promoting his political campaign, but he wouldn't be able to tell who it was until it got closer.

As the car passed by his hiding space, Steven saw that it was the pizza van, meaning the occupants likely consisted of Buck, Jenny, and Sour Cream. Steven couldn't help but chuckle to himself at the irony; it was the "Cool Kids" that had dropped he and Amethyst off at the edge of Beach City the last time they ran away, pretending to be the No Home Boys. He almost wished he could ask them to do it again, but it was exceedingly unlikely they would do so, considering Amethyst wasn't around this time, making the whole thing rather suspicious. They'd instead probably ask him questions on where he was going, and Steven was a terrible liar.

Once the car passed by, Steven got out from the alley and ran as fast as he could down the road. Despite his increasing exhaustion, he didn't stop there, continuing until he was a fair distance away from all of the buildings. Finally, after about five straight minutes of running, the young gem stopped to allow himself an opportunity to breathe.

After a few seconds of deep breathing and pressing his hands down on the top of his head, Steven looked back at Beach City, which now seemed somewhat small. Of course, it always was a small town; it was just more obvious now, in the distance.

After a couple quiet moments of staring, Steven turned around and began his trek down the road, albeit at a slower pace. After a few minutes, he arrived at a large sign, depicting a large seagull saying "See ya later!" and the words "Now Leaving Beach City."

Steven stared at the sign for a moment. He thought about all that he was running away from. It actually made him sad, almost remorseful.

And then he thought about everything that's happened the past month.

He kept walking.

* * *

Pearl opened the door connecting her room and the house, letting out a deep sigh in the process. It was around 10:00 AM, which was later than any of the gems normally made an appearance (considering Amethyst was the only one who regularly slept), but she didn't think any different of it. Amethyst and Garnet were probably off doing something else.

Garnet. Just thinking the name brought a wave of sadness to her. After all, it wasn't like any progress had been made mending the wound this fusion disagreement created.

Shaking her head to herself, Pearl cleared those thoughts out of her head. Now wasn't the time to be worrying about stuff like that.

"Steven?"

Pearl waited for a reply. Although the young boy admittedly seemed rather laid back in recent weeks, he usually still at least acknowledged her whenever she was around. This time, however, there was nothing but silence.

With curiosity getting the best of her, Pearl stepped away from the temple door and into the house, expecting to find him sitting on his bed or something. Again, there wasn't anything.

Pearl couldn't help but smile; he may be hiding somewhere to surprise her. She wasn't normally as appreciative of this as say, Amethyst, but any show of happiness around here would be very much welcomed.

"Steven? You can come out of hiding now," she said while walking up the stairs, ready for him to pounce. She was expecting him to jump out from under the bed sheets or something, but his room was completely empty.

Pearl was now a bit confused. If he really was planning to surprise her, he probably would've done it by now. Not only that, his room was also strangely clean, with many of the things that used to lay around on the floor missing. His cheeseburger backpack also wasn't leaned up against the wall in its usual spot.

With her confusion only growing, Pearl surveyed the interior of the house from the perch of Steven's room. There was no sign he was anywhere, although a few of the cabinets appeared to be left open, as if he had taken some things from them.

Giving herself another sigh, Pearl was about to head back downstairs and into her room when she noticed what appeared to be a piece of paper on the counter, although it was too far away to be able to see what was written on it from up here.

Pearl walked downstairs and over to the counter, picking up the paper. She began to read what it said.

* * *

The normal silence of the Kindergarten was interrupted by the faint, but still audible hum of the elevator as it ascended up from underground. As soon as the platform stopped moving, indicating it had arrived at his destination, Peridot stepped off and began to aimlessly walk down the large canyon.

Although the scenery was desolate, Peridot was rather fond of talking walks outside. Unless the Crystal Gems caught her unaware (which appeared to be less of a threat than it would have been in the past), it was actually rather pleasant, giving her a chance to clear her mind.

Of course, the Kindergarten wasn't pleasant. But the walks were pleasant. If that makes any sense.

After a few minutes, she reached the edge of the Kindergarten, leading out into a rather expansive field. The little blades that grew out of the ground looked nicer over there than they did in the Kindergarten, but Peridot wasn't about to risk going over there. There was always the chance of the gems could sneak up on her, and being caught in such a large area with no terrain or any other opportunity for escape would mean game over.

A small frown formed on Peridot's face as she turned around to head back into the Kindergarten. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she couldn't ignore the fact that it was somewhat... lonely. Jasper and Lapis Lazuli weren't around for company, and she didn't even have her robonoids. There was absolutely nothing to do but stay in the shadows and plan her next course of action.

Peridot gave a somewhat sad sigh as she once again got on the platform leading to the underground control room. As much as she hated thinking about, it still didn't change the fact that this place was, at least for now, her home.

She couldn't wait to get off of Earth.

* * *

Steven was sitting in a boxcar. To be more specific, it was a boxcar on a train taking the same route that he and Amethyst had taken that one day, although he wasn't sure if it was literally the exact same train or something. It didn't really matter.

It was definitely a little harder to actually get on the train this time. Seeing how Amethyst threw him perfectly into the boxcar the first time they tried train hopping, Steven still had no idea exactly what to do. He was still able to jump in anyways because the train slowed down for a minute or two, but it was still rather dangerous.

Still, a small grin crept up on the boy's face as he thought about that time he and Amethyst ran away. During the past month or so, he was easily on the best terms with her out of the three gems, and vice versa. In addition to that, they always did have the craziest adventures together, but they were always among the most enjoyable. That whole No Home Boys event in particular was one of the most memorable, how they hopped the train and went to the Kindergarten, how Amethyst showed him where she was born (despite the whole place feeling a little unusual to Steven, considering it was his first time seeing the Kindergarten), how they were eventually found by Pearl...

Pearl.

Any positive memories Steven was reminiscing about came to a crashing halt as soon as her name crossed his mind. It was barely a few hours ago that that whole incident in her room happened, and he still couldn't bring himself to think about it.

Of course, that wasn't the only factor in his decision to run away. It was just the final straw.

Thinking about that whole running away thing did, however, jog Steven's memory a little bit. It was around here that they jumped off the train and made their way to the Kindergarten. It was a somewhat familiar area, one that he wasn't completely lost in.

Steven didn't really know why, but he was feeling a sudden urge to go at least visit the Kindergarten. There wasn't really anywhere to go once he was there, but perhaps he could merely stop and figure out what he was going to do next. He did bring some maps, after all. Maybe he could plan a course to Alaska or something.

Steven hopped off the train.

* * *

 **And that's a wrap.**

 **Well, there's the second chapter of Don't Even Bother, hope you all enjoyed it. There's certainly gonna be a lot in upcoming chapters, so be sure to stick around. You know, I usually have a lot to say in author's notes, but I just can't think of anything. Sorry about that.**

 **I guess that's about it. Once again, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and have a nice day.**


	3. Chapter 3

**How's everybody's day (or night) going, and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **They haven't fixed the glitch. Go figure. More on that in the author's note at the bottom of the page, but I recommend you read the chapter first.**

 **EDIT 8/31/15: They HAVE fixed the glitch now. And there isn't really anything at the bottom of the page anymore. If you're reading this in the future, to keep it brief, there was a glitch in the system that made publishing difficult for an extended period of time. Thankfully, it's over now.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

 _ **Flashback**_

* * *

 _ **Giving herself another sigh, Pearl was about to head back downstairs and into her room when she noticed what appeared to be a piece of paper on the counter, although it was too far away to be able to see what was written on it from up here.**_

 _ **Pearl walked downstairs and over to the counter, picking up the paper. She began to read what it said.**_

* * *

Amethyst walked out of her room and into the house, stretching. That nap, while refreshing, was pretty much exactly the same as every other nap she had taken recently, minus the different dreams of course. It seemed like she was taking a lot of naps nowadays, as it was the only way to really pass the time around here.

"Hey, Pearl? Have you seen that ax I left in one of the piles, I put it there last week for..."

Amethyst was interrupted by a loud, forced gasp from what sounded like behind the counter, followed by... sobbing? Amethyst's question was quickly answered as the crying increased the volume. With renewed urgency, she ran as fast as she could to the counter.

"STEVEN! Are you alright?!"

As soon as Amethyst looked behind the counter, however, she was stunned to find the gem in question wasn't Steven, but Pearl. Amethyst had no idea where this outburst was coming from; what could have rattled one of the most level headed people she knew so much?

"...Pearl?" she asked as she slowly approached the crumpled gem, who was still sobbing uncontrollably.

Pearl uttered something. Amethyst couldn't understand what she said.

Finally, after a few seconds, Pearl began to calm down just a little bit, with Amethyst responding by pulling her into a tight hug. A tear was threatening to fall from her eyes as well. Although she didn't like to admit it out loud, it truly pained her to see her friend so upset.

"P? Please tell me what's wrong..." she asked in the softest tone she could.

Pearl sniffled a few times before she was able to speak. "It-it's S-St..."

Amethyst didn't need to hear anymore. "Steven?" Pearl nodded her head in response.

Amethyst's primary emotion shifted from sympathy to concern for the young gem. "What's wrong? Is he alright?"

Pearl handed her the note she was holding. It was streaked with tears, but still readable. Amethyst, with a look of bewilderment, took the paper out of her hand and began to read it over.

Her eyes slowly grew wider the further she went down the page.

Once she finished reading the note, a million thoughts ran threw her head. It only took a second for all of them to be narrowed down into one.

 _"Garnet."_

Without a word, Amethyst got up from the floor and went over to the temple door. Once she reached the entrance, she opened the door to Garnet's room. The gem in question was currently busy with what appeared to be a training session of some sort, possibly to relieve her anger. She had of lot of that nowadays.

"Garnet!"

Garnet quickly turned around in surprise. She almost never allowed visitors into her room.

"Amethyst! What are you doing here?"

"You need to come to the house."

Garnet shook her head. "I can't, I'm busy with..."

Amethyst didn't care. "I SAID YOU NEED TO COME TO THE HOUSE! NOW."

Garnet was very surprised now. Amethyst almost never talked back to her, nor did she ever sound so serious. Finally, after a moment of pondering, Garnet began to walk towards the entrance to the house. Amethyst quickly left the door frame to allow her inside.

The first thing Garnet was met with was the sight of a red eyed Pearl, who sat slumped at the counter. Her emotions immediately turned to anger, and she didn't hesitate to show them.

"What is the meaning of this? If this is some kind of attempt to make us reconcile, you've got another thing..."

Amethyst placed the note into Garnet's hand. "We've got bigger problems right now..."

Garnet held the paper up to her three eyes to read it. It only took two lines for her to remove her shades.

* * *

 _Dear Gems,_

 _Congrats. You've done it. You've really done it._

 _Do you have any idea how miserable things have gotten? Everyone hates everyone else, and nobody wants to say anything about it. Isn't that the opposite of what teams do? Don't teams work together to overcome problems?_

 _Well, I guess we really aren't a team anymore then. Though to be honest, what would I know about any of that?_

 _I know how you really feel about me. You don't see me, you only see my mom. I might as well just be her shadow, this thing for you to keep around so you can have a reminder of her. And to be honest, it's fine. You've never wanted me around, you only want my mom back. I can't really do anything about that, so I may as well just get out of your way._

 _The only request I have is that you say goodbye to everyone for me, especially Connie. I'm sorry I'm too much of a coward to do it myself._

 _Oh, and as for looking for me, if you actually get the desire to? Don't even bother._

 _Steven_

* * *

Garnet refused to believe what she just read. This couldn't have been Steven.

 _Their_ Steven? The endless ball of energy that always brought a smile to their faces? The little boy that filled the void in their hearts when Rose left? How could Steven possibly think these things?

Deep down, Garnet knew that the fight between herself and Pearl was probably hard on the boy. But she never could've foreseen this. Even in her future vision, this was a one in a billion outcome. And yet, it was happening.

Garnet slowly handed the paper back to Amethyst. She didn't put her shades back on.

More than a full minute of excruciating silence passed. Finally, Amethyst spoke up again.

"We have to find him..."

Both Pearl and Garnet looked at the floor. Amethyst gave an exasperated sigh; it appeared that they still weren't quite ready to give up their feud. Didn't they realize the significance of the situation they were in?

"Look, I get you two are still mad at each other. But in case you haven't noticed, Steven's _gone!_ " yelled Amethyst, her voice rising. "The simple fact is, we have to find him, and we can't do it if you aren't willing to at least talk to each other. Who knows where he is right now? He might even be hurt! Or..."

Amethyst couldn't bring herself to say it. Being half gem didn't make him invincible.

Garnet remained perfectly still, deep in thought. Finally, she began to speak.

"Amethyst, you're right. We all need to be willing to help to find Steven."

Pearl's heart rose. Was Garnet, for the first time in a month, willing to work with them, with _her?_ Were they finally getting somewhere in ending this fight?

Garnet wasn't done. "But let me make myself clear, Pearl. This doesn't change anything. Finding Steven takes priority over _everything._ That's all."

Pearl's heart fell like a stone. She remained silent, staring down at the floor.

Amethyst, on the other hand, couldn't believe the foolishness coming from the fused gem. This was exactly why Steven ran away in the first place! Why was she too blind to see how much damage this vendetta was causing?

Nevertheless, Garnet was right. Finding Steven came first.

As if on cue, Garnet put her shades back on. "We'll cover more ground if we split up. Pearl, you go search the areas surrounding Beach City. Look specifically for any traces, things like footprints or perhaps abandoned supplies."

Pearl nodded and ran out the door. Although she and Garnet still weren't even really on speaking terms, she was willing to listen to her orders. For Steven.

Once Pearl was gone, Garnet turned her attention to the last remaining gem.

"Amethyst, you look around the city itself. Check all of the usual places he goes to, as well as the beach."

Amethyst nodded as well. Just as she was about to exit the open door, however, she turned around.

"What about you? Where'll you search?"

"I'm going to check all of the areas with functioning warp pads that we've visited with him before. I'll start with the Kindergarten."

* * *

Peridot was sitting in the underground chamber, rifling through a few things on her finger screen. It certainly wasn't very entertaining; aside from hiding, there was absolutely nothing to do on Earth except for an occasional walk around the Kindergarten. She couldn't even risk going any further than that, as the fear of a surprise Crystal Gem attack kept her confined to familiar territory.

Shaking her head a little to herself, Peridot stood up and walked over to the elevator to ascend to the surface yet again. Perhaps another quick walk would help clear her mind.

As the elevator began to rise, Peridot couldn't help but run through all the realistic ideas she could think of in her head on how to escape Earth. It didn't exactly take very long, as nothing came to mind. No matter what plan she thought of, there was always some crippling flaw, some factor outside of her control that would derail the whole thing. And nearly all of these failures were because of _them._

"Those crystal clods..."

Finally, the elevator completed its journey, stopping itself once it reached the floor of the Kindergarten. Without another word, Peridot stepped off the platform and began her walk through the enormous canyon.

With every step she took, however, an increasing sense of uneasiness began to envelop her. She couldn't quite explain it, but it just felt like something... bad was going to happen. And soon.

"I need to get off this planet already."

* * *

"Aw, come on! Which way is this map supposed to be turned?"

Steven was sitting up against a particularly large rock in the Kindergarten. He wasn't having a lot of fun, however; he was actually in the process of trying to read the map he brought. Or, more specifically, trying to straighten out the map so it wasn't upside down.

"Wait, I've got an idea!"

With one of his strokes of ingenuity, Steven looked at the ground surrounding him. He couldn't help but smile when he saw exactly what he needed: a few largish rocks.

Wasting no time, Steven took four of them, while flattening out the map on the ground in the process. The map wasn't very conducive to this, as it constantly shifted back into its original position, a crumpled mess. Undeterred, the young gem flattened the map a final time, while quickly placing the four rocks on top of the four corners to keep it straight. He had effectively rediscovered the use of the paperweight.

"Not too bad, if I do say so myself," said Steven while smiling, only for a small bout of laughter to follow.

As his giggling died down, Steven found himself thinking about how much had changed the past few hours. The boy himself was rather surprised with his sudden outpour of happy emotion; after all, it wasn't that long ago that he was still the depressed, solemn figure he had slowly morphed into. But being away from everything, away from all of the problems back home... no, back where he used to live felt so... liberating. It was as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"STEVEN!"

Steven immediately stopped moving. That voice sounded familiar.

"STEVEN!"

His eyes grew wide. It was Garnet.

Steven's first reaction was to curse himself for his stupidity. There _was_ a functioning warp pad here, after all, and it was one of the few areas the gems knew for certain he could get to on foot. It only made sense for this to be one of the first places they searched for him.

At the same time, he felt a sudden wave of remorse wash over him once again. The only explanation for Garnet being here, calling out for him would be that they're looking for him. He truly believed that they wouldn't even try to, yet here they were. Garnet, at least.

Just like before, though, this sympathy was immediately replaced by anger. So what if Garnet was here looking for him? If she found him, the only thing it would mean would be a return to his previous home. Back to everything he tried so hard to escape from.

"No..."

Steven immediately picked up the map and his backpack, frantically looking around for a hiding spot. He could theoretically hide in one of the holes in the wall, but this was extremely risky. In the event Garnet saw him, there would be no escape from that point on. He would have to hide somewhere else.

The sound of a few rocks breaking in the distance gave Steven another alert to where Garnet was, and the noise sounded closer than her previous yelling. Panic began to set in as he realized he only had maybe thirty seconds at best before she entered this area. With one last desperate scan of the area, he noticed a particularly dark looking spot protected by a wall of fallen rocks. If he could get over there and behind the wall fast enough, he might be able to escape from Garnet if she skipped over that little area.

Whether it was a good plan or not, it was going to have to work. Steven made a run for it.

* * *

Peridot was walking through the gorge with a bored look on her face. The walk she just took did have the effect she hoped it would, clearing her mind, but it was more because of how ming-bogglingly boring it was. She almost never slept, but the temptation was enormous.

Just as Peridot was about to mumble something to herself (often the only use she had of her voice these days, aside from recording her daily logs), a voice echoed off the walls.

"STEVEN!"

Whatever Peridot was about to say immediately got stuck in her throat. It was the Crystal Gems.

"STEVEN!"

That only served to confirm it. It hadn't happened in the past month or so, but the gems were looking for her in the Kindergarten.

 _"But if they were looking for me, why were they calling for what sounded like the Steven? Never mind that, it doesn't matter! They'll find me! Of all the times to be outside, why did I choose NOW?!"_

Peridot knew attempting to return to the elevator was futile. It was highly unlikely she could make it back to the platform without being discovered, and there was no way she could get back down to the room and seal the entrance in time anyways. She would have to make do with her surroundings.

She considered flying away using her finger helicopter, but quickly dismissed the thought; doing so would only draw them to her location, where they probably had something that could force her out of the air. The only other possibility was hiding in the nearby area, so she decided on that.

A large pile of rocks lay nearby. It was crude, but it was the only shelter available. Working as quickly as she could, Peridot used her finger beam to pick up a few of the rocks and move them. Once she was safely inside, she again used her finger to move the rocks back into place, sealing the pile.

She waited.

* * *

Steven held his breath.

Garnet was nearby.

No sooner did this thought cross his mind when the gem's feet became visible through a tiny gap in the rocks. She was standing right in front of the pile he was in, surveying the area.

Steven didn't move a muscle. He even tried not to think.

Slowly, agonizingly, nearly a minute passed. If Garnet turned around and removed even one rock from the pile behind her, it was over. He would be found out. It would all have been for nothing.

And then, Garnet began to run to the left, to the other side of the Kindergarten.

Steven was too terrified to move for more than a minute. The threat wasn't over yet, but he had managed to hide from her, literally right behind her back. Now that she had searched this area, it was unlikely she would return.

Suddenly, the familiar sound of a warp pad activating permeated throughout the Kindergarten. As soon as the noise faded away completely, Steven let out a desperate gasp of relief. He wasn't sure if Pearl and Amethyst were nearby, but he didn't want to find out. The only thing that mattered was escaping.

Pushing a few of the rocks away from him, Steven created a hole in the pile big enough for him to crawl through. Once he was safely out, he began sprinting as fast as he could, towards the other side of the Kindergarten.

He wasn't going to stick around for the next time they came back.

* * *

It was rather difficult to hear, but a sound similar to a warp pad activating echoed throughout, just like the yelling of the Steven's name. Peridot breathed a sigh of relief.

In hindsight, she probably overreacted; the gems never even came near her hiding spot. With that being said, she was glad she took the actions she did, rather than risking detection by attempting to slip back to the elevator.

Of course, now that the warp pad had been activated, it was likely that all the Crystal Gems had retreated; it didn't make sense for only one of them to leave while the rest stayed behind. If she was going to return to Facet Five by using the elevator, now was the perfect time to do it.

Peridot crawled out from her hiding place and began to run as quickly as she could to the platform.

* * *

Steven could feel himself growing more exhausted by the second, but he didn't care. He still wasn't out of the Kindergarten yet.

He couldn't help but notice, however, how his feet sounded like they were stepping on... metal, for just a few steps back there. He also swore the floor appeared almost neon green for a second, as if it was some kind of platform.

It was probably nothing.

* * *

Peridot rounded a corner, the final one until she could reach the elevator. Almost there now.

And then she stopped.

* * *

Steven's eyesight blurred from the wind and dust whipping in his face. He used a single hand to wipe his eyes while still running.

When his vision was finally cleared, he looked straight ahead of him.

He stopped cold.

 _Peridot._

* * *

 **And that's a wrap.**

 **I'll see you all in chapter four.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey everyone, and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **Well, at long last the traffic graph has been fixed. It took 8 days, which to be honest is 8 days too long, and then you couldn't even sign in yesterday, which is why I didn't post this earlier. Nevertheless, it appears everything is in order again, as the site and the traffic graph are working fine. I seriously doubt any of the views that have been lost this past week will be restored, but whatever. I'm just glad the traffic stats are working again at all.**

 **Anyways, now that everything is 100%, I'll try to update as frequently as possible, hopefully every few days (unless I'm really busy with school or I can't think of an idea for the next chapter. The first one will be the case more often).**

 **Okay, enough from me, and enough of me bringing up that stupid traffic stats glitch. On with the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

* * *

Amethyst ran down the sidewalk of the Funland Arcade, scanning the area for the sight of a certain someone's familiar red shirt in the process. Nobody was outside on the beach, but she had yet to look inside the arcade itself.

Once she reached the entrance to the arcade, Amethyst suddenly stopped, and took a moment to compose herself. As much as she wanted to continue panicking (and it was very tempting), it would only hinder the search for Steven.

After taking a deep breath, Amethyst cracked her neck and her knuckles. It was time to get cracking.

The arcade itself was rather spacious, with many different games scattered all around. There was a possibility Steven could be at any one of them, so she had to check them all.

Amethyst wasn't entirely sure where to begin searching when she remembered that day they spent at the arcade after a mission. It made the most sense to check the games he had shown the gems first, so she headed over to skee-ball, the game he had shown her.

For the second time that day, Amethyst suddenly found herself with a strange desire to burst out into tears. At the same time, however, she couldn't help but smile at how enthusiastic he had been, how happy he was... how happy everyone was back then.

Why couldn't he see that what he was doing would only cause further harm? Did he truly think they didn't care about him?

Amethyst shook her head. Right now, she had to focus on the task at hand. She didn't have to time to dwell on the past, as the present was looming overhead, like a dark cloud.

Her first instinct was to investigate the skee-ball machines, as that was the game he had shown her that day. She didn't even have to move from where she was standing, as the machines were propped up against the west wall of the arcade. Unfortunately, there was no sign of the boy.

After a few minutes of walking around and occasionally prodding behind some of the larger games, her hope began to sink lower; it didn't look like Steven was here. Dejected, she was about to exit the arcade when a voice suddenly signaled for her.

"Hey! What are you up to?"

Amethyst turned around and saw that the voice belonged to Mr. Smiley, the owner of the arcade (and all of Funland). She was about to give the honest reply, looking for Steven, when she stopped.

It suddenly dawned on her that she was walking a very fine line here. Beach City was a small community, and news around here tended to travel fast. If she were to tell Mr. Smiley that Steven was missing, there was a very real possibility that word would get around town. Ordinarily, Amethyst wouldn't be too concerned about the reaction from everyone.

In this scenario, however, there were two very specific people she didn't want finding out.

If either Greg or Connie found out that Steven was missing in the immediately future, they would most assuredly go into a panic. For all she knew, they could potentially even try something dangerous, like search for him... on their own. She couldn't afford to tell anyone the truth.

"Nothing, just... looking for quarters."

"Well you won't find any! I swept 'em all up yesterday," replied Mr. Smiley, with, what else, a smile on his face.

Amethyst said nothing as she walked out of the arcade. She had already checked the Big Donut and Beachwalk City Fries, two of Steven's most frequent hangouts, and she was running out of ideas on where else he could be.

Suddenly, it hit her; she hadn't checked the lighthouse yet. Steven and that one goofy kid with the blog hung out every once in a while down there. She really didn't understand why Steven was friends with that guy, but that wasn't important right now.

Amethyst began to run.

* * *

Pearl leaned up against a large tree, gasping for breath. She had been looking for Steven in this forest for hours, just like she looked in the plains _and_ the hills for hours before that. Nothing.

After a minute or two, rather than continuing the search, Pearl slowly sat down against the tree. The situation was beginning to feel more and more hopeless; there weren't any clues the boy had been in any of the areas she had searched. The only area she had yet to look was near the exit of Beach City, but that was more in Amethyst's search zone than her own.

The sound of what sounded like something being snapped nearby interrupted the gem's thoughts. Pearl quickly turned her head to the location of the sound, hoping that, by some miracle, it was the gem in question. Her hope immediately turned to disappointment, however, when she saw that it was only what appeared to be a small squirrel, who was now in the process of scurrying away.

Pearl's attention again turned in front of her. She didn't remain still for long, though, as she found herself hugging her knees to her chest.

And then the tears began to fall. Again.

Unlike the first time, Pearl was far more calm, although it was admittedly very difficult to remain so. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but let her sorrow overtake her again.

Sorrow. It seemed like it was affecting everyone. Herself. Amethyst. Steven. Garnet.

Well, not really Garnet.

Pearl knew everything in this conflict was her fault. _She_ was the one who fixed the communications hub. She was the one that tricked not only Garnet, but the entire team, at least the second time. She was the one who so desperately wanted to form Sardonyx.

It was her fault she and Garnet were locked in this cold war. And that made it her fault Steven ran away.

Steven. Steven had always been an anchor for the team, the foundation that kept the team upright. He was always a beacon of hope, and it seemed like he was an endless supply of optimism and kindness. When everything else failed, it was like he was always there to make things right in his own Steveny way, no matter what they were doing.

At least, he _was_ always there.

Pearl was barely aware that her hands had shifted to the ground, furiously clenching the grass. Her mind was going through a storm of emotions, and it didn't look like it would be clearing up any time soon.

Despite all the conflicting thoughts in her head, however, deep down she knew the only thing in the world she wanted was for Steven to come back. For her to hug him tight. To tell him how sorry she was for everything. Everything.

But she couldn't.

And it was her fault.

* * *

Garnet stepped out of the temple and back into the main section of the house. It was only after she left the Kindergarten that the possibility dawned on her that the boy may have been hiding somewhere in the temple, as she saw that as a rather strong possibility in her future vision. Unfortunately, her search proved ineffective, as Steven was nowhere to be found, despite her thorough check of every room, even Pearl's.

Pearl.

Garnet always had an icy disposition, even before this whole fusion thing began. It was a good thing too, as she seriously doubted she'd be able to keep her emotions hidden in front of the others if she wasn't already so practiced.

Although she appeared the same in front of Amethyst and Steven, minus the obvious contempt towards Pearl, her actions when she was in private were very different. She had already gone through every possible form of anger imaginable, and she wasn't even close to emptying the tank. Not even close.

She smashed things. She practiced fighting. Her solo missions were cold and efficient. It was as if she was a machine, with no sense of empathy. That wasn't the case.

Steven's running away did reveal a few cracks in the armor, however. She had only cried twice before. But she almost did it again.

Still, the young gem's safety took front and center in her mind. Steven came before everything. Even if it meant working with... her, they had to find Steven. After all, it was for Rose as well.

But Rose wasn't the reason they were searching for him. They were looking for him because he was Steven, not because he was Steven with Rose's gem. No matter what his letter said.

* * *

For a few seconds that felt like an eternity, the Kindergarten was completely silent. Nothing made a noise. Anywhere.

Such was the scene in the expansive canyon at the exact moment Steven and Peridot stumbled upon each other. Both of them had been running in opposite directions, making a meeting inevitable. Nevertheless, they both came to an immediate stop as soon as they caught sight of each other.

For a few more seconds, neither side moved. Despite the rather dusty conditions, they didn't even blink.

Peridot wasn't sure what to say. She thought for sure that _all_ of the Crystal Gems had retreated back to their base when that warp pad activated. Obviously that wasn't the case. In any event, it was too late now. She had been discovered.

Steven stared ahead, his eyes wide in shock. He had no idea Peridot was still in the Kindergarten. What was she doing here?

Another moment of nearly painful silence passed by. The tension was so thick you could practically cut it with a knife.

And then, before she could stop herself, Peridot spoke.

"Are the other ones with you?"

The Homeworld Gem inwardly cringed at her response. It was literally the exact same thing she had asked him the first time they encountered each other one on one in person... in the Kindergarten. Almost in this exact spot, to be precise.

Peridot's inquiry immediately brought Steven back down to Earth. The "others", referring to the Crystal Gems. No, they weren't here. And he was glad they weren't.

Steven didn't say anything, instead taking a few steps forward, down the same travel path he had been taking before this little interruption. For all he cared, Peridot was the Crystal Gem's problem. He really didn't care why she was here or what she was doing.

Peridot, on the other hand, immediately formed her finger cannon. She didn't consider the Steven much of a threat on his own, but she was still extremely paranoid, especially considering he was now in the process of walking towards her.

And then he walked right past.

Peridot couldn't help but be flustered. At the same time, she couldn't help but ask again.

"I said, are the..."

"NO!" yelled Steven, without turning around.

The green gem was taken aback by his sudden reply. From what she could gather from previous encounters, the Steven seemed like a relatively happy gem, and he was never separated from the rest of the clods. Although she barely knew anything about emotion, it seemed that he was currently unlike both of those characteristics.

Steven continued walking.

Peridot immediately formed her finger cannon again and began to charge it. "You're going to tell them where I am," she said as she aimed.

This time, Steven stopped walking and turned around. The glare in his eyes was almost indescribable, but even Peridot with her extremely limited understanding of feelings could tell that it was nothing but pure anger.

"The warp pad is over there," the young boy said as he pointed to a far off area behind her. "And I'm leaving down here," he said as he pointed straight in front of him, towards the opposite direction of the warp pad. "Does it look like I'm going to tell the Crystal Gems?"

Peridot had a bewildered look on her face. Steven continued.

"I don't care that you're here. I really don't."

And he turned around and continued to walk away. Peridot continued to aim her finger cannon.

And then she lowered it.

Naturally, her first reaction was complete confusion. The Steven was firmly entrenched in the ranks of those Crystal Gems. Why wasn't he going to report her location to them?

And why was she letting him get away?

When she thought about it for a second, it wasn't really her mission to eliminate the Crystal Gems. It was merely a necessary step towards completing her mission assigned to her by Homeworld. At least, it used to be. Now it was a necessary step towards escaping Earth. Therefore, her mission actually was to eliminate the Crystal Gems. And the Steven was definitely among their ranks.

At least, he used to be among their ranks. Something seemed a little different this time.

Still, he was leaving. And she needed some time to sort everything out and plan her next course of action.

Peridot turned and walked to the elevator.

* * *

Amethyst walked down the beach with her head hung low, dejected. Steven hadn't been at the lighthouse like she had hoped; there wasn't even a sign of the other kid, and there definitely wasn't a chance that Steven had been there alone.

As she kicked a pebble along as she walked, Amethyst racked her memory for any areas around town she may have missed. Nothing really came to mind. All of his usual hideouts had been checked and re-checked, and even some of the more out of the way parts of town had been searched by her. And it was all for nothing.

Amethyst turned her head to look at the sunset; she guessed it was around 7:00 PM. With only an hour or less of sunlight, there really wasn't a point in continuing the search outside. She had a feeling Pearl would patrol the streets at night anyways, as she never slept, so the Earth born gem figured it was about time to pack up the search and call it a day.

Besides, the sunset reminded her of the time she and Steven ran away. Good times.

Once she snapped out of her rather long train of thought, it eventually dawned on Amethyst that she was no longer walking on the sand of the beach, but on solid concrete. Giving herself a rather loud sigh, she looked up at her surroundings, the first time she had done so in several minutes, aside from looking at the sunset. She was standing right in front of the car wash.

"Hey, Amethyst!"

A familiar voice called out to Amethyst. Amethyst's pupils dilated.

Greg ran up to Amethyst from wherever he had been. He clearly looked a little distressed.

 _"Please do not ask what I think you're going to ask,"_ she thought.

"Have you seen Steven around? I checked the house earlier today, but nobody was there. I haven't seen him in a while."

Amethyst held her breath.

If she was walking a fine line by not telling Mr. Smiley that she was looking for Steven, she was walking a tightrope with Greg. What could she possibly say that _wouldn't_ make him freak out? After all, his _son_ just ran away!

And it was under their watch.

Now that she thought about it, Amethyst couldn't help but feel like a complete fool for so stupidly stumbling across the car wash. Of course Greg was going to be worried about Steven, and ask where he was. It was his duty as a father. And it was their duty as his caretakers to make sure he was alright.

Amethyst had to come to a decision. Greg was still waiting for an answer.

She decided to lie.

"Uh... Steven's... we're playing hide and seek! Around the city. I'm still looking for him," said Amethyst, putting on the most genuine looking grin she could muster.

She thought for sure Greg saw right through her.

"Oh... okay. I'm glad to see he's spending some time outside. Just make sure he's okay, alright? I'll come visit him as soon as I have the time."

Amethyst nodded furiously. "No prob!" she said as she gave him a thumbs up.

Greg smiled. "Thanks. Well, see you later, I guess."

Amethyst nodded her head again, albeit slower this time, without saying anything. She then immediately turned around and began to walk away rather quickly. It wasn't until she was certain that she was out of the view of the car wash that she stopped.

Without even thinking about it, Amethyst sank to the ground. Try as she might, she just couldn't hold it back anymore. The tears finally began to flow.

She hated lying to Greg about Steven. Truly, she did. But she simply couldn't tell him that his son was missing. And he was missing because of them.

At the same time, she partially did it to protect him; what if he did something reckless if he learned he was missing? What if he got himself hurt? She would never forgive herself if others paid the price for their ignorance. And she was fairly certain Pearl and even Garnet would feel the same way.

Of course, she knew now it was only a matter of time. They couldn't keep the truth from him forever. Greg was going to find out Steven ran away eventually.

Amethyst wiped the last few tears from her eyes as she stood up. As much as she didn't want to, it was time to face Pearl and Garnet and report everything she had discovered. In other words, it was time to admit she had been a failure in finding Steven.

Amethyst began to walk towards the house. Her spirits were as low as the sun.

* * *

Steven approached the edge of the Kindergarten. Darkness had overtaken the sky, as the sun had set an hour or two ago, but as luck would have it, a full moon illuminated the ground.

The young boy couldn't help but smile a little bit. After his little encounter with Peridot, he had stopped to study the maps he brought again, and it appeared there was a little town about ten to fifteen miles south of the approximate location of the Kindergarten. (The gem location obviously wasn't marked on the map.) If he was quick, he could probably get there before the sun was up.

Just as Steven was about to head out, however, the howl of a wild animal broke up the silence. He stopped.

It was difficult to see in the distance, but it appeared to be a coyote that made the noise, and he wasn't alone. In fact, it looked like a whole _family_ of coyotes.

"Aw, crud."

Steven had had a few encounters with wild animals before, and he always came out fine. He even named a mountain goat after himself. With that being said, a coyote definitely wasn't something to mess with. And it looked like even more were beginning to appear.

The boy weighed the risks against the benefits. The risks won.

It was unlikely the gems were going to check the Kindergarten in the middle of the night, especially considering they just checked it earlier that day. He could afford to spend one night in the Kindergarten.

Steven turned around and walked back into the canyon.

* * *

 **And that's all for now.**

 **Once again, I'm incredibly sorry about all the times I've said I would have to delay releasing chapters due to the traffic stats glitch and stuff like that. Now that everything's been worked out, the only thing left to focus on is writing (and school, so... not just writing, lol).**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I suppose that's it for now.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi again, and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **A new chapter? And one that DIDN'T take two weeks or whatever to be released? Now that they have the stats glitch sorted out, you bet. I can be a little inconsistent with my release times, but I usually strive for every couple of days, as I said in the last A/N. Yes.**

 **Now then, on with the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

* * *

Amethyst slowly walked up the steps of the front porch and quietly opened the door to the house. She had hoped that none of the gems were back at the house yet, or at the very least that she could avoid them, but her entrance immediately attracted the attention of Garnet. Pearl didn't appear to be back yet.

"Amethyst. Any sign of Steven?"

Amethyst shook her head in response. "No dice. I checked everywhere around town, but there weren't any signs of him."

Garnet's stoic face turned into a small frown. "You're sure you checked _everywhere?"_

"Yes, Garnet, everywhere. I didn't ask anyone if they saw him, though."

Garnet nodded her head in approval. "Wise. We don't want people talking about him disappearing, especially in front of Greg and Connie."

Amethyst's eyes widened just a little bit. This did not go unnoticed by Garnet.

"Amethyst, you're not telling me everything."

Amethyst desperately attempted to think of a lie in her head, but it was no use. She was able to lie to Mr. Smiley and even Greg, but there was no way you could fool Garnet.

"I... I talked to Greg."

Garnet immediately spoke up. "Amethyst, why would you tell..."

"Relax, I didn't tell him! Besides, he came to me. I said we were playing, uh, hide-and-seek. He doesn't know Steven's actually missing. Yet."

The fused gem let out a sigh of relief. "As long as he doesn't know. We have to find Steven before he can find out. The same applies to Connie. We don't want them doing anything dangerous."

Amethyst nodded her head. The door behind her opened at the same time, and Pearl walked into the house. She didn't make eye contact with Garnet (although it was admittedly hard to do so with the shades Garnet almost always wore).

"I looked everywhere around Beach City for Steven. I didn't find him."

"None of us did," said Amethyst. "It's like he's vanished."

Garnet adjusted her shades. "There are too many possibilities in my future vision. I can't narrow down where he could be."

Amethyst spoke again. "Well, he's gotta be somewhere. We just have to keep on looking."

Garnet let out an exasperated sigh.

"Yes, you're right. But it just feels like I... missed something. While searching."

* * *

Peridot's elevator ascended for however many times it had done so that day (actually, it was past midnight, meaning it was technically the next day) to the surface of the Kindergarten. As the platform clicked into place, however, the green gem did not step off the machine.

Ready to program the elevator to descend again at a moment's notice, Peridot quickly scanned the area. Ever since that little scare with the Crystal Gems earlier in the day, she had been keeping constant vigilance for them and the Steven.

The Steven.

Once she was completely confident nobody was in the immediate vicinity, Peridot began to relax. Finally stepping off the green platform, she began to walk down to the south end of the gorge.

She had already exhausted herself thinking about her encounter with the Steven, yet it was still on her mind.

Why was he alone? Why did he say he wasn't going to tell the others she was hiding in the Kindergarten? Why didn't he try to fight her? Why didn't _she_ try to fight _him?_ The questions buzzed around in her head, one after another, and there were no definitive answers to any of them. It was truly a mystery, and one she couldn't solve.

Peridot still hated the Crystal Gems. At the same time, however, she couldn't help but notice he always appeared just a little... kinder than the others. He apparently had something to do with Rose Quartz, after all; it was almost as if he couldn't truly hate anyone.

He couldn't even truly hate her.

At the same time, though, things felt just a little bit... different today. The most glaring change was that he wasn't with the other clods. This was extremely out of character for him; they had either been with him or right behind him every time she had encountered him thus far, with the exception of their most recent meeting just a few hours ago. In addition, while she was no master when it came to probing emotions, he also seemed significantly more upset about something, as the normal cheerful demeanor he always seemed to carry, even around her, was completely absent.

The Steven was different. And Peridot really wasn't sure why she was giving it so much thought.

 _"I just need to clear all those things out of my mind. They're not important."_

Now that she finally settled on a few answers, Peridot's attention turned to where she was walking. Unfortunately, her line of sight depicted only what was directly in front of her, rather than something lower. Say, something on the ground.

She tripped.

* * *

The temperature had dropped considerably as the night dragged on, but Steven paid it no mind. He had his trusty caterpillar sleeping bag, after all. It was practically like its own heater.

Still, despite the comfortable surroundings, he simply couldn't find it in him to sleep. No matter how hard he tried to shut off his mind, his thoughts kept deflecting to everything that had happened in the past twenty four hours. There was quite a lot to run through.

Sneaking into Pearl's room to say hi, only to instead see how she wished for Rose to be here instead of himself. Running away from home. Arriving at the Kindergarten. Hiding in the Kindergarten. Meeting Peridot in the Kindergarten.

As the name crossed his mind, Steven found he was somewhat surprised with himself; he had given almost no thought to the incident since it happened. After all, Peridot wasn't his problem anymore, she was the Crystal Gem's problem. And he wasn't a Crystal Gem anymore.

Now that he brought a little closure to the matter, Steven again closed his eyes to try and get some shut eye. And to be fair, he was actually beginning to nod off before he was interrupted.

Interrupted by something tripping over him.

Naturally, his first reaction was surprise; he obviously hadn't been expecting anything to be prowling around tonight (those coyotes didn't seem to like going near the Kindergarten itself, as he observed before he turned in for the night). As soon as it registered that something (or someone) had essentially just walked over him, however, he immediately prepared his shield. Although he didn't want to, he was ready for a fight. As soon as he activated his protective barrier and looked down, however, his wide eyes drooped just a little bit, as if he guessed in his head who it was. It was Peridot.

It made sense. After all, she was the only one besides himself that inhabited the Kindergarten. Nevertheless, that didn't answer any of the other questions he had, with the most pressing one being quite simple: what was she doing here?

"Peridot?"

Steven kept his shield up just in case, although he seriously doubted in his mind that Peridot would attack him. She didn't last time, in broad daylight, so why would she do so now?

Peridot didn't say anything as she stood up. Once she was upright, she shook her head and looked down at what she tripped on, which was no longer there. It was like she wasn't aware that she literally stepped on the boy.

Until she looked up and saw the pink shield. And the person operating it, of course.

Steven couldn't keep the shield up any longer. With a final grunt, he dissipated it, while panting heavily. He still needed a lot of practice when it came to summoning all that stuff. When he finally regained his breath, he looked up to see Peridot looking at him with a shocked expression.

"Wh-what are you doing here?"

Steven could ask her the same thing. So he did.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

* * *

Peridot couldn't believe it. She thought she tripped over a rock or something, but it was the Steven. Why was he still here, in the Kindergarten? Was he spying on her or something? He had been lying about not telling the Crystal Gems, hadn't he?

"Wh-what are you doing here?"

Peridot wanted to facepalm (even though she _only_ had fingers). That sounded weak.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

The Homeworld gem wasn't exactly sure how to answer, or if she should even answer at all. Her suspicion level was still pretty high, after all; it did look like he was leaving the Kindergarten the last time they met. It was obvious that wasn't the case, so who knew what he was plotting. Were the other gems lying in wait?

For the second time that night, Peridot frantically looked around for any signs of a potential ambush. Just like before, nothing was around. Well, nothing but the Steven.

And once again, before she could stop herself, Peridot spoke.

"... Taking a walk. What are you doing here?" she asked, repeating herself.

Steven's head cocked to the side a little bit, as if it was a stupid question. "Sleeping. What did it look like?"

Peridot's anger rose just a little bit. So, he was going to be a smart aleck, huh?

"It looked, _and_ looks like you were spying on me!"

Steven's head immediately straightened, his previous blank expression replaced with a frown. "Spying on you? Why would I do that?"

Now it was Peridot's turn to look at him like he was an idiot. "So you can report this to those clods!"

Steven's face fell at the mention of his former team. He just hoped Peridot didn't notice it. She didn't need to see any weakness from him. Besides, it seemed like everyone else already had. He remained quiet for a few seconds.

"... I'm not going to "report" you. I'm just staying here for the night."

Peridot wasn't sure why, but she found herself actually dropping her guard at this explanation. She believed him. She had no reason to, after everything that had happened in the past, yet here she was. Nevertheless, she still had a few questions she wanted to ask.

"Where are the others?"

Steven looked up, a little surprised. He basically assumed their conversation was just about over. At the same time, he felt quite the conflict in his mind on exactly how to answer this question. Part of him desperately wanted to tell the truth, to confess everything that had happened. At the same time, he had to keep perspective; it was still Peridot. She didn't deserve to know anything.

"I don't know."

Peridot was very surprised by this, as it seemed they were always packed together, like a bunch of lumpy clumpy CLODS.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

Steven sighed. He was clearly getting impatient. "I don't know where they are, okay?"

Peridot wanted to ask more, but she decided not to press further; once again, she found herself inexplicably believing him. If he said he didn't know where those Crystal Gems were, then she believed he didn't know where those Crystal Gems were. Still, that didn't answer another question she had.

"Why are you here alone, then?"

Steven's frustration finally boiled over. "Because I am, alright? Why does it matter to you?"

Peridot was taken back by the boy's sudden outburst. She certainly hadn't been expecting it. Nevertheless, it really didn't matter. "It doesn't."

And she turned to walk away.

Peridot wasn't exactly sure why, but she felt... hurt. The Steven yelling at her almost made her feel bad. Almost.

Steven stared ahead for a second as she slowly retreated into the deeper part of the Kindergarten. He didn't mean to sound so angry when he replied to her. The strangest part was, he wasn't exactly sure why he didn't mean to sound so angry. It was as if he felt sorry for yelling at her. Even though she probably didn't feel any emotion at all.

"Wait!"

Peridot stopped and turned around. She, like Steven earlier, thought the conversation was over. So did Steven.

The young gem wasn't entirely sure why he signaled for her attention. A million possible conversation pieces ran through his mind (all of them bad) before he realized he knew exactly what he wanted to ask.

"... Why aren't you attacking me? I thought I was your enemy."

Peridot looked at him with a stoic expression. Still, she appeared deep in thought.

"I don't know."

* * *

Garnet and Amethyst carefully peered inside a window belonging to one of the houses' on the streets, being extremely careful to avoid detection, even though everyone in the town was probably sleeping. Both of them had serious doubts that Steven would be hiding out in someone else's residency, but they had to be absolutely sure he wasn't.

It was almost 2:00 AM, but the search was still going strong. All of the gems (even Amethyst, despite her fondness of sleeping) were determined to bring Steven back home, where he belonged. They hoped it would be soon.

"Well, he's not in that house," said Amethyst quietly as she crawled away from the window, only standing up when she was out of the viewpoint of any other window in the house.

"We have to check every house. Come on, there's one we missed down the street."

Amethyst gave a sigh as she nodded to Garnet. "Yeah, yeah, I know. It just feels kinda dirty, you know? We're basically spying on people. While they sleep. Like that one dude with the bag."

Garnet gave a small frown. "We have to make sure we check EVERYWHERE. Steven could be in any of these houses."

Once again, Amethyst could only nod as she followed the fused gem down the street, quickly and quietly. Just as they arrived at their destination, however, a dark shadow jumped in front of them. It was Pearl.

"I checked the arcade and all of his other places. He's not in any of them"

Amethyst, despite her best attempts to hide her reaction, was visibly frustrated. "Dang it! After this house, we've basically run out of places to look for him in Beach City."

Garnet shook her head. "We have to keep trying. Pearl, go check the beach again, as well as the house. For all we know, he may have returned for supplies, thinking we wouldn't be around."

Pearl sighed and jumped up to the rooftop, beginning her trek to the beach. At the same time, Amethyst's face looked down to the floor; she knew Garnet was intentionally trying to keep Pearl away from herself. It wasn't the outright silence it had been earlier, the silence that sealed Steven's decision to leave his family, but it was still painfully obvious that she wasn't ready to give up their feud.

The two gems checked the windows of the house. Steven wasn't inside.

Of course.

* * *

Peridot sat in the underground chamber known as Facet Five, absentmindedly swiping through a few files on her computer screen. It was one of the only things to do besides taking walks, although said walks were admittedly becoming more eventful recently. It was only when she stumbled upon her voice memos, however, that she realized she had yet to record her daily log. It was still extremely early in the morning, but that wasn't particularly important.

After setting up the recording program and preparing the archive for another entry, Peridot activated the mic and began to speak:

"Log 720. This is Peridot, updating status. Still stuck on Earth, as always. Recent events have grown more interesting. I've nearly been captured by the Crystal Gems after an extended period of inactivity, and I have with 100% certainty been discovered by the Steven, who is mysteriously taking shelter in the Kindergarten. I can't imagine why. It doesn't seem like a threat, however. It seems... different, somehow."

 _"I hope the Steven's alright."_

As she finished her recording, Peridot's eyes widened as she realized the thought that just crossed her mind.

Once again, the questions on why she was so concerned for the Steven concerned. Why? Why did she care that something about him didn't seem right? Why was she so interested in him? In whether he was okay?

And then, like a flash of lightning, she suddenly knew why: it was because it seemed like, at least right now, he was very much like herself. Lost. Struggling. Without a purpose. It was as if they were one and the same.

As she thought a little deeper about the whole issue, it also dawned on her that she never truly hated the Steven like she hate the others. Those other clods were always chasing her, attempting to capture and do whatever it was they did with gemstones. The Steven, on the other hand, never seemed like the kind to fight, and from their previous few encounters, he had yet to actually attack her. And once again, it circled back to how he was apparently related to Rose Quartz.

Peridot had never met this Rose gem before, but Jasper told a few stories about the leader of the rebellion before they arrived on Earth in the giant hand ship. She openly expressed her hatred for her, but she also admitted that she held a great deal of respect for the tactics she used during the war. She also briefly mentioned how she was apparently kinder than most gems. She even had healing powers, an extreme rarity.

Whatever the Steven was, he had Rose's gem, but it was as if the darker side of Rose, the side that engaged in warfare and combat, had been removed entirely. In its place was nothing but... happiness. Something that was very scarce back on Homeworld.

Peridot almost never questioned the orders she received, but she suddenly found herself doubting the whole process. There was never anything even remotely positive on Homeworld. Yellow Diamond only focused on productivity. Work. Efficiency. There was no room for kindness, for real emotion.

The Steven changed that. He brought something into her life she never had, but she desperately needed. Even as her enemy.

And yet, he was now suffering the same way she was suffering. And as much as she would try to deny it to herself, Peridot hated to see it. She truly did.

"Earth is a strange place."

* * *

Steven sat on a rock perched against the wall of the canyon, deep in thought. He had tried to go back to sleep after his second encounter with Peridot, but it simply wasn't happening.

Rather than recapping the entire day in his mind, however, the boy instead found himself running through what happened just a few hours ago over and over. It just wouldn't leave him alone.

Although he was no longer a Crystal Gem, Steven was beginning to have second thoughts on his revised attitude towards Peridot. He may have simply brushed her off as "not his problem anymore", but the truth was that, while she wasn't his problem personally, she was still a threat to Earth.

Or was she?

As he continued to give more and more thought to the matter, Steven found himself slowly coming to the conclusion that... Peridot wasn't as dangerous as she seemed? It felt like he was jumping to conclusions, but he couldn't help but have a few nagging doubts whenever he tried to justify in his mind the logic that Peridot was truly a villain.

Peridot wasn't attempting to reactive the Kindergarten. The Crystal Gems had come to that realization even before the boy ran away. Her actual mission was to apparently check on the Clusters, but those had been bubbled by Garnet. There was nothing more to do here on Earth.

It was because of that reason that Peridot's objective was apparently to escape. And it wasn't like she wasn't trying; she repaired the communications hub, after all. That was certainly no small feat.

And yet, Steven found himself feeling... sorry for her.

He knew this line of thinking was his old personality returning to him, his carefree self who only saw the good in both people and gems. Peridot had done many evil things to both himself and Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl, but what was her true motive? Was Peridot so cold in personality because she simply hadn't experienced happiness before? Just what was it that she had gone through earlier, and maybe even currently, in her life that could have caused this? Just what _was_ it like on Homeworld?

Before he knew it, Steven found himself making connections between himself and Peridot in his head. They were both escaping from the Crystal Gems. They were both alone. Their reasons for being on the run were very different, sure, but that didn't really matter.

And, if his assumptions were correct, they also didn't have a home. At least, a home that accepted them. For being them. In Peridot's case, for whatever she was truly like.

They were basically one and the same.

* * *

 **And so, that's all the time we have for today. Or something like that.**

 **Well, there's definitely a lot of character development going on in this chapter, but I'm worried I may have rushed things just a little bit. Nevertheless, I have a pretty good idea on what I want to occur in the next chapter, so it should be fine.**

 **Well, that's it until next time.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	6. Chapter 6

**How're you all doing, and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **This chapter was definitely the hardest to write thus far, but not because I couldn't think of any ideas. It was actually reverse writer's block, in a way; I had plenty of ideas I wanted to write, but it was very difficult to put them into words the way I wanted. Nevertheless, I'd like to think I did a pretty good job.**

 **Well, that's about it. On with the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

* * *

Amethyst flew high above the buildings of Beach City, scanning the area for Steven. Personally, she didn't think he would be around, but they had to make sure they checked and re-checked everything. That included some of the more obscure places, such as the maze of alleyways and side roads every city has, and Beach City was no exception.

He wasn't anywhere. Go figure.

Giving a small grunt of frustration, Amethyst glided back to the ground, returning to her original form once she touched down. Shapeshifting into a bird to search from the air, while unsuccessful, was actually a very good idea from Garnet. She actually wasn't sure why she didn't think of it herself.

As soon as she returned to her normal form, Amethyst ran down the street to meet up with Garnet, who had been searching a few of the alleyways herself. Pearl had yet to return from the house.

"I couldn't find him. Any luck?" she asked the fused gem.

"Nothing."

Amethyst sighed.

In her mind, she knew that Steven wasn't in Beach City. Garnet and Pearl probably knew the same. After all, they had repeatedly covered the entire area multiple times, and there wasn't even a clue regarding the direction he had gone. Whatever he did to escape, he covered his tracks really well. Still, it felt like the group refused to stop searching in familiar territory, to expand their range. Why? What purpose did it serve?

Amethyst knew why. None of the gems wanted to admit it, but if Steven wasn't within the Beach City limits, the reality was that he could be anywhere. Anywhere at all. If they didn't have a concrete idea of where he was going, there was no way to track him, no 100% foolproof way to locate him. He could be off doing anything, and they would have no idea.

Attempting to search elsewhere without having a general idea where he was would be acknowledging that he was truly gone. Maybe forever.

Amethyst shook her head. _"We'll find him. It's only been a day, he couldn't have gone too far. He's gotta be around,"_ she thought. She hoped.

All of these thoughts were interrupted by a teal bird flying up to the two of them, only for it to shapeshift into Pearl. Despite the growing desperation among the three of them regarding the search for Steven, Amethyst found herself chuckling; Pearl almost never shapeshifted. It was somewhat amusing to see.

"What are you laughing about? This is no time to goof around."

Amethyst immediately stopped laughing when she saw the newly arrived gem speaking to her. "Nothing. Did you find anything?"

Pearl shook her head. "No. Nothing was moved inside the house, and there wasn't anything on the beach. He hasn't returned recently."

"What about Lion? Does _he_ know anything?" asked Amethyst. It was clear she was running out of ideas.

Pearl shook her head again. "I haven't seen him all day. Besides, he can't even talk."

"Just an idea."

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed throughout the narrow road Pearl and Amethyst were standing. Amethyst already knew who it was, but both gems turned anyways to see Garnet walking out the alley she just searched. "Amethyst, did either of you find anything?"

Amethyst couldn't believe it. She wouldn't even ask Pearl a question as simple as "did you find him?" Even though Steven was missing, it really did look like that this was doing nothing towards breaking the feud.

"No, Garnet, she didn't. None of us have found anything," she said, her anger rising. Thankfully, the (former?) leader of the Crystal Gems didn't seem to notice.

"There must be something we're missing. Amethyst, you said you checked the arcade, the Big Donut, the exit road..."

Amethyst interrupted. "The exit road? You mean the one with the big sign that has a seagull?"

"Yes."

The Earth born gem shook her head. "Nope, I didn't check over there, Pearl did."

"What are you talking about? I didn't look over there, I thought you did!" said Pearl, joining the conversation for the first time.

As soon as she finished speaking, all three gems came to an immediate realization.

"... You mean nobody checked the only exit out of Beach City?"

* * *

Peridot sat in the underground chamber, once again flipping through a few files on her finger screen. There wasn't really any objective to doing so, however; she was merely trying to kill time. It wasn't as difficult to do nowadays as it used to be, however.

Her encounters with the Steven were still fresh on her mind. Unlike before, however, she didn't look back with anger and confusion, but instead with a very different emotion.

Although she still didn't like to admit it, even in her mind, being around or even thinking about the Steven made Peridot... happy. After all, his never ending enthusiasm was ridiculously infectious. Even though they weren't fighting on the same side, she now found she couldn't stop herself from admiring him. This resulted in a small bout of laughter from the green gem; Jasper would kill her if she ever found out about the way she thought of the Steven. In the warrior's mind, the Steven was just Rose Quartz in another body.

While Peridot had never met Rose Quartz, the opinion of Jasper didn't seem to be the truth. The Steven was unique.

Once her laughter subsided, Peridot stood up and walked over to the elevator for what felt like the trillionth time since arriving on Earth. He was probably long gone by now, but that didn't deter her.

She wanted to talk to the Steven again.

* * *

"How could you not check the sign? It's in Beach City!"

"Uh, the sign means you're _leaving_ Beach City, meaning its outside the limits! You should've checked it, since you were looking OUTSIDE the city!"

Amethyst and Pearl were in engaged in a small argument as the three gems (including Garnet, of course) made their way to the gigantic sign signaling the border of Beach City. The frequent arguments between the two had largely disappeared since the feud between Garnet and Pearl took its place, but old tensions were resurfacing just a little bit. Finally, Pearl sighed.

"Look, it doesn't matter. Neither of us checked the sign, so we're both to blame. Fighting won't help us find Steven."

After taking a second or two to ponder what Pearl just said, Amethyst nodded her head. She was right. If they were going to find Steven, they had to keep their heads in the game.

Garnet said nothing.

After a few more minutes of walking in silence, the trio arrived at the sign signaling the end point of Beach City. There was nothing in the nearby area; a big field, sure, but no people or anything.

Amethyst looked down at the ground. The original reason she did so was disappointment, as it didn't look like Steven was around, as always. Instead, however, her eyes widened at what she saw: a footprint. It certainly wasn't hers.

"Uh, guys?"

Both gems turned to look at her. Neither was entirely sure how they were supposed to react. "What?" said Pearl.

"Look at this."

Amethyst moved from where she was standing, being careful to not step on the footprint in the ground. Once she was out of the way, Pearl moved up to look where she was standing. She saw it too.

"Isn't that... Steven's?"

She tried to hold it in, but a big smile nevertheless spread across Pearl's face. The size of the footprint was definitely close to the size of Steven's foot, to the best of her recollection. In addition, the relatively good shape of the footprint meant had been around here recently, as it would have faded away by now had it been there for a few more days.

Garnet walked over to Pearl and Amethyst. She had been busy surveying the area for any telltale signs of the boy, but she had been searching in the wrong place. Once she reached the two gems, she looked down at the footprint as well.

"That has to be Steven's. He's been here recently."

Surprisingly, it was Pearl who responded first. "But why would he leave Beach City through here? He's never been down this far before, he's only left town before through the warp pad."

Amethyst pursed her lips. She had never told Pearl or Garnet the exact specifics about how she and Steven ran away that one time.

"Uh... that's not really true. Me and Steven came down here when we ran away."

Pearl's face returned to a frown. She wasn't particularly fond of remembering that day, how Steven was exposed to the Kindergarten sooner than he should have been. "When you ran away to the Kindergarten?"

"Yeah. We kinda walked through that field over there and stuff," replied Amethyst, pointing to the expansive grassland just ahead.

Garnet shook her head. "I don't understand. How did you get to the Kindergarten without using the warp pad?"

"We hopped a train. There are tracks down there, you know."

Neither gem could see it, but Garnet smiled just a little. In her mind. But it was a start.

"I think we know where he's run off to."

* * *

Steven sat on a rock, messing around with a Rubik's Cube he brought with him in his cheeseburger backpack. He would've preferred to use his phone for entertainment, but he wanted to conserve the battery until he would have a chance to charge it. There weren't any electrical outlets in the Kindergarten, after all. There probably was one he could use, however, in the town that was apparently nearby.

So why didn't he leave?

In his mind, Steven knew the exact reason why he was suddenly so hesitant to leave the Kindergarten. He almost couldn't believe it himself, yet here he was, struggling to make a decision.

Peridot.

He knew how similar he and Peridot were. He already ran through this last night, but he found himself doing so again; they were practically equal. They both didn't have a place to go that would truly accept them.

Because of this, Steven wasn't entirely sure how to describe the feeling he was getting, but he felt some sort of... obligation. To help her.

Once again, he knew that it was his previous self returning to him. Still, to the young gem, it felt like it's been a lifetime since he was the bright, happy child everyone knew and loved. It was nearly incomprehensible to believe that it was only about a month or so ago. It truly felt like forever.

Nevertheless, he felt... free. Now that he was away from everything. The young boy smiled.

Steven put the Rubik's cube back in his bag and stood up. He wouldn't have even imagined himself doing this just yesterday, but he was going to go look for Peridot. He wanted to talk with her. She probably wouldn't care or something, but that wouldn't stop him from trying.

That was another characteristic he missed about himself. He was always a stubborn one. Steven's smile grew wider.

As he looked to his left, towards the entrance to the Kindergarten, however, his eyes nearly bulged out of his skull.

Three silhouettes were in the distance. One was tall and slender. One was somewhat short and large. And one had the appearance of a gem he had seen very recently.

 _"It's them."_

* * *

Peridot grumbled to herself in frustration as she walked back from the north end of the Kindergarten. The Steven hadn't been over there, but there also weren't any traces that he had left the Kindergarten through that area. If he was still here, he was in the south end, the same location of their meeting last night.

Her thoughts were interrupted, however, by what sounded like... running? It was highly unusual; the only explanation was that it was either a wild animal, the Crystal Gems, or the Steven.

Only one of those was preferable.

As the mysterious figure rounded the corner, Peridot was glad to see that it was in fact the Steven. Still, she couldn't help but be confused; why was he running so frantically? What was going on over there?

And why wasn't he stopping?

* * *

Steven ran as fast as he could with his head down, trying to keep the dust out of his eyes. A million different thoughts were running through his head all at once, and all of them were panicked. Still, the most pressing one was obvious: he needed to get away. If the Crystal Gems ever physically caught sight of him, it was over. There would be no way to outrun them.

Of course, because he was running without paying attention to what was immediately in front of him, it was inevitable he would collide with something eventually.

In this case, with Peridot.

* * *

Before Peridot knew what was happening, she suddenly found both herself and the Steven tumbling to the ground. The landing didn't hurt too much, considering she didn't have bones, but it was still reckless.

"Ah... watch it."

Her message mostly fell on deaf ears, as the Steven was already back on his feet. As soon as Peridot raised her head to look at him, however, she stopped. The look he had in his eyes was one that could only be described as, to put it mildly, desperate.

"Peridot!"

Peridot froze even more. Whatever happened to him earlier, it was bad.

And it hurt her to see it.

"What? What's going on?"

"It's the gems! They're coming!"

Whatever she had been expecting, it wasn't that. Nevertheless, if it was true the Crystal Clods were on their way, she needed to hide. It was only after this thought crossed her mind, however, that she realized something else.

"What do you mean they're coming? How did they know we... I'm here?"

Peridot wasn't sure how to describe it, but something inside her shattered. He had led the gems right to her. It was probably so they could capture her and do whatever it was they did to the Clusters. To her, it felt like the Steven betraying her. Even though they weren't exactly allies.

"There's no time! We have to hide!"

Just as soon as it arrived, Peridot's emotional state again switched, this time from sadness to confusion. If he really was planning to capture her, why was the _Steven_ running away from the clods? Wasn't he one of them? Something didn't add up.

Still, he was right. There was no time.

Thinking quickly, Peridot immediately used her finger beam that held enemies in place, firing it at the Steven. She then dragged him over to the elevator, ordering it to descend as fast as possible. It was only when the platform began to move that she released him. He didn't complain.

For a few seconds, the elevator descended, quietly. The tension was just as thick as their first encounter just yesterday.

Finally, the elevator reached the underground chamber. Peridot and Steven immediately stepped off it, with Peridot in turn programming the platform to ascend again. They both anxiously watched the opening as the elevator rose, silently hoping none of the Crystal Gems would look through the hole the platform left before it reached the top.

The elevator reached its destination uninterrupted, snapping into place and sealing the only entrance to the chamber. They were safe.

* * *

Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst entered the Kindergarten, looking around the area. The ground was more solid here than it was back at the sign, meaning there wouldn't be any footprints left behind by Steven. Besides, all the dust blowing around would basically make it impossible for a footprint to last very long anyways.

"Garnet, didn't you say you checked the Kindergarten already?" asked Amethyst as she looked inside a pile of rocks. The only way in was a hole that looked large enough for Steven to crawl in. Who knows.

"I did. He must have arrived after I left. If only I stayed for a few more minutes..."

Pearl looked at Garnet with a questioning look. She couldn't remember the last time the last time the fused gem ever openly acknowledged a mistake or weakness, although the feud probably jumbled her memory a little bit. Nevertheless, she always put up a cold exterior; she was never one to openly share feelings or stuff like that.

Was the armor beginning to crack?

Pearl was suddenly snapped out of her daydream by Amethyst. "I said, do you have any ideas where he could be?"

Pearl shook her head, partially in response to the question, and partially to snap out of her trance. "No, he could be anywhere in here."

Amethyst sighed. "I guess we'll have to look everywhere then..."

After a few minutes of checking behind rocks and even a few of the holes in the side of the canyon, as well as occasionally calling out his name, the three gems came across the neon green platform.

"Hey, isn't that the platform thingy Peridot used that one time?" asked Amethyst.

"It doesn't matter. Peridot's long gone, and only she and her robonoids can activate it anyway," replied Garnet. She could always break the platform to force their way into that underground chamber, but she couldn't see anything in her future vision that involved that room.

Amethyst nodded her head, although she wasn't particularly thrilled doing so. She couldn't shake the feeling there was something down there.

* * *

Steven stood hunched over, gasping for breath. He had been running on pure adrenaline for a little while back there, and the transition back to normal activity was pretty rough on him.

Peridot, on the other hand, stared at the boy, not entirely sure what to expect. She had many questions she wanted to ask, but one was more glaring than all the others.

Finally, after a moment or two, Steven's heavy breathing began to soften. He straightened himself and looked at Peridot. Before he could say anything, however, the Homeworld gem beat him to it.

"Why would you lead them here?!"

She didn't mean to sound so accusatory, but she couldn't help herself. After all, it was a little suspicious that they would return so soon when they didn't find her in the Kindergarten the first time.

Steven, on the other hand, was taken back. "Me? I didn't lead them here!"

"They why would they come back after they were here just... yesterday!" yelled Peridot, trying her hardest to remember the Earth calendar.

"I don't know, but that doesn't mean I told them to come here!"

"I knew you were still in with them, you want them to capture me!"

Steven felt something inside him twitch. " WELL IT'S NOT LIKE I'M TRYING TO RUN AWAY FROM THEM TOO!"

Peridot immediately stopped. As soon as she realized what she just said, she immediately regretted it; it was highly unlikely the Steven would rat her out to the other clods, especially when he had the chance to do so just yesterday, but didn't. Whatever happened between himself and the Crystal Gems, it had changed him.

And now she had gone and hurt him. Even more.

And she hated herself because of it.

* * *

Steven wiped a single tear from his eye that threatened to fall. He didn't want to show weakness to Peridot, but it was becoming very difficult to do.

After almost a full minute of silence, he spoke again. "I didn't lead the Crystal Gems here. I swear."

"I'm sorry."

Steven's eyes grew wide.

* * *

Peridot couldn't help but be surprised at the boy's reaction. After all, the guide relating to humans she read on her finger screen a few weeks ago said that saying the phrase "I'm sorry" after apparently hurting someone's feelings would help. Did she do it wrong? Should she say it again?

Her worries were assuaged, however, when the Steven looked up at her and, again to her surprise, smiled.

"Thank you."

Peridot immediately felt a wave of relief. It seemed that the Steven felt at least a little better now. Still, now that that situation was cleared up, she had another urgent question on her mind.

"If you didn't lead them here, then why are those Crystal Gems back?"

Steven wasn't entirely sure how to answer. He legitimately didn't have any idea how they could've tracked him to the Kindergarten, as he assumed they wouldn't check back for a while, considering Garnet had already searched for him here to no avail.

"I really don't know."

Peridot couldn't help but be a little disappointed by the answer, but it was then that another question popped in her mind, one that might answer all the others she had.

"Why are you running from them?"

Steven stared straight at her. He would need a minute to think about this.

Throughout the past month, he had never revealed exactly what he was feeling to anyone. His slow descent into depression, as well as his complete personality change remained fairly well hidden, mainly because he almost never left the house. For the few that did seek him out, however, such as his dad and Connie, he also never told them the reason why he seemed so... different. For all they knew, he was just changing. In Greg's case, it felt like it was all part of growing up. Only the three Crystal Gems knew the true reason.

And even then, they didn't know at all.

If they actually had any idea what was going on in Steven's head, they would've intervened. Garnet and Pearl would've made up, and everything would've gone back to normal, right? Right?

Until yesterday. When everything changed, when he learned just what they really thought of him.

They didn't want him. They wanted Rose back. And only Rose.

And yet, even though running away was drastic in itself, Steven couldn't help but feel he would never truly move on until he got everything off his chest. To tell someone.

Why not Peridot?

As he weighed the pros and cons in his mind, Steven came to a realization. It was true that he and Peridot were similar in many ways, but it was only right then and there that he truly began to understand just what she was going through. She had no mission on Earth anymore. All she wanted to do was escape, like himself. And the cold hard truth was, like himself, she was scared.

Scared of being caught. Caught by the Crystal Gems. In her case, Steven knew she would be bubbled. To never regenerate again, until the bubble was popped. That would probably be forever.

In his case, if he was re-discovered by the Crystal Gems, he would be forced to live with them again. And their lies.

And he knew it.

"It's kind of a long story."

* * *

 **"Th-Th-Th-That's all, folks!" in the words of Porky Pig. Until the next chapter, of course.**

 **Well, I'd normally put something in the author's note down here, but I can't really think of anything, other than, as usual, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	7. Chapter 7

**How's it going, and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **Remember what I said in chapter four about how school and other things may interfere with when I write, and thus when I release new chapters? Well, that's exactly what happened with this one, which is why this chapter took a little longer than I would have liked to release (I actually wrote and proofread this entire chapter today, which almost never happens. It usually takes a minimum of two days). Sorry about that.**

 **In the event it seems like it's been a little longer than usual since a new chapter's been released in the future, please note that it probably means I'm busy with other stuff. It will come.**

 **Anyways, I'm sure most of you saw Nightmare Hospital this past Thursday. Another excellent episode as usual, although I missed the first three minutes and I had to watch it again later. I'm glad Connie and her mom are finally communicating. And speaking of Connie, guess who FINALLY makes just their second appearance in this story so far this chapter?**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

 _ **Flashback**_

* * *

"Where could they be?"

It was only after she quietly uttered this line out loud that Connie realized how weird she probably sounded mumbling to herself. With a sigh, she put her hands in her pocket, instead choosing to silently walking down the beach this time, with her head down. As much as she tried to keep things in perspective, however, she still found her mind running wild.

Although she didn't admit it out loud to anyone, the past two weeks had been a little rough. Actually, completely miserable was probably the better term; it felt like something was missing in the young girl's life in recent days. And she knew exactly what that something was.

Steven.

As much as she tried to forget about it, the argument they had that one day still weighed heavily on her mind. Considering it was the most recent time she had seen Steven, it wasn't like she had anything else to really think about. Not even things about unrelated to the boy.

Ever since their fight, Connie had basically become just like Steven, never leaving the house and never doing any of the things she used to enjoy so much. She didn't even want to think about how rusty her sword skills had become. Actually, she didn't really want to think about any gem stuff at all, especially Steven.

Until today.

* * *

 _ **It was somewhat early in the morning at 6:45 AM, but rather than sleeping in on a Saturday like today, Connie instead sat on the couch in her home, reading a book. The sun was just coming up, and it looked like it would be a beautiful day outside, but she had no desire to leave the house and experience it. Actually, she had no desire to read, either, but she had to pass the time somehow.**_

 ** _Finally, after reading what felt like the same sentence over and over again, Connie leaned her head back against the couch, closing the book in the process. Try as she might, she simply couldn't get her mind off of everything that's been happening in the past week or two. Or, to be more specific, everything that HASN'T been happening in the past week or two._**

 ** _In her mind, she knew the cause of her moping about: her argument with Steven. Ever since that day, she only really left the house to go to school. Aside from that, basically everything about her life was on hold._**

 ** _She hadn't returned to the temple in weeks for a sword fighting lesson with Pearl; she just couldn't bring herself to do it. All of her normal hobbies and interests, such as violin and tennis, also basically flew out the window. She just didn't have any desire to do them._**

 ** _And it was all because of Steven._**

 ** _As soon as this thought crossed her mind, Connie immediately regretted it. It wasn't Steven's fault everything was going the way it was, it was her fault for not doing anything about it, for not trying to help him more. After all, it was because of their most recent fight that she was acting this way in the first place._**

 ** _She missed Steven. And it probably wasn't just her, either, as Steven had an enormous impact on everyone._**

 ** _In the moment this idea popped in her head, Connie's eyes grew wide. The reason everything was so down in the dumps was because Steven's change in personality was dragging everyone that noticed it down with him. Didn't he realize the kind of impact he had on people?_** ** _His happy demeanor. His constant positive attitude. His care and devotion to everyone he loved. Without him, there was a void. Not just in her life, but in everyone else's, too._**

 ** _And he didn't even know it. Especially not now._**

 ** _Connie made up her mind. She hadn't even attempted to contact Steven in the past two weeks; she had been too scared to do so, for fear of another outburst similar to the one that happened last time. Now, however, she had a newfound resolve. No matter how much he would try to deny he needed it, she was going to help him. He needed it._**

 ** _She was going to do something about it. About bringing Steven back._**

 ** _Her Steven. Their Steven._**

* * *

 _"Well, I can't really do anything about it if nobody's home."_

Connie shook her head to herself as soon as this thought entered her mind. It was quite ironic, in a way; she was almost completely confident Steven had spent the entire month in his house, leaving for basically nothing. Except for today.

It was just a little suspicious, as none of the Crystal Gems appeared to be around, either. It was likely they were either in the temple or on a mission, but from what she could remember the few times she had been over after that one mission all four of them went on, it didn't seem like they went on missions together very often anymore. It was a bit of a mystery where they all were.

Nevertheless, she wasn't giving up. And she knew exactly where to check next.

After a few minutes of walking through the various streets of Beach City, she finally came across a very familiar car wash, appropriately titled It's a Wash. At the same time, Connie couldn't help but smile when she also saw a very familiar van parked in front of the building. The side decal clearly read "Mr. Universe."

Not even a second after she observed this, the back doors to the van swung open, revealing who was inside: Mr. Universe, Steven's father. If anyone knew where to find his son, it was him.

Mr. Universe cracked his neck once he opened the doors to the van, taking in a deep breath of fresh air. As soon as he opened his eyes, however, he was a little surprised to see Connie standing in front of him, by herself.

"Oh, hi Connie. What brings you here?"

"Hi, Mr. Universe. I have a question to ask."

Greg's face morphed into a confused look. "A question? Uh, okay?"

"Have you seen Steven recently?"

Greg wasn't entirely sure why at first, but he suddenly felt that strange feeling you sometimes get in the pit of your stomach. It only took him a moment, however, to recognize what it was: fear. Why would Connie be asking him this question?

"Come to think of it, I haven't. Isn't he at the house?"

Connie shook her head. "I just checked there, but he wasn't home. It didn't look like any of the Crystal Gems were, either. I was hoping you would know."

The feeling of fear Greg was experiencing intensified. Just yesterday, Amethyst told him she was playing hide-and-seek with him, and he believed her. If that really was the case, however, then why was he _still_ missing? And how come none of the Crystal Gems were around? There was always at least one at the house, from what he could gather.

What was going on?

* * *

"... And that's what happened."

Peridot stared at Steven with her mouth hanging open a little from surprise. Whatever theories she came up with in her head in regards to why the Steven was running away from the Crystal Clods were dead wrong. Nevertheless, there were still a few parts to his story she didn't quite understand.

"So, let me get this straight... you're escaping those clods because they only see you as your 'mother?'"

Steven nodded his head and smiled. "That's right."

"What's a 'mother?'"

Steven's face fell.

"Well, she's... your mother is..." Steven stumbled to come up with an explanation. Now that he thought about it, _he_ didn't exactly know what a mother was like, either. Sure, the gems always were, or at least pretended to be motherly figures to him (at least Pearl and Garnet were), but he never experienced what it was like to... truly have her. After all, he never got to meet his real mom. Rose.

"Let's just say your mother is very important. Well not to you, 'cause you're a gem and you don't have a mother, but to humans."

"I don't understand. How can you have a 'mother' if only humans can have one? You're a gem!"

Steven shook his head. "No, I'm half-gem, half-human. I kinda get the best and worst of both."

Peridot looked utterly bewildered. "How does that even work..."

Steven smiled a bit at her curiosity. He wanted to explain the tale on how his mom fell in love and vice-versa, but that would take just a little too long to warrant doing so right then and there. "Well, that's another long story. We can get to that later, I guess. My da... I mean, someone I know very well told it to me once. It was a cool story."

After thinking about it for a second, Peridot decided what he was saying was sound logic. Nevertheless, there were a few more things she needed to know. "But why would they think you're your 'mother?' You're the Steven."

Steven couldn't stop himself from chuckling. "No, they don't think I'M my mom, they just... wish they had her instead of me," said Steven, his laughter slowly fading the further along he progressed in his statement.

Peridot once again felt that sad feeling well up inside of her. She didn't like seeing the Steven lose whatever it was that made him so happy. Still, she needed to know a few more answers before she could do anything about it. "And your... 'mom'? That's a term you just used, is it not?"

Steven gave her a confused glance and nodded. "Yeah, so what?"

"What's a 'mom?' Is it a different kind of 'mother?' Is a 'mom' like the other side of..." cried Peridot, her voice and tone growing increasingly confused and fast as the questions flowed. She was interrupted, however, by Steven's laughter returning.

"Hahaha, no no, mom is just short for mother. They're the same thing."

Peridot was still a little fuzzy on the whole "mom" thing. Nowhere in the word "mother" was "mom" present. The proper term should've been "mot" or "ther." It didn't make any sense to her, but she decided to ponder that information later. There were more important matters to attend to.

"So your 'mom' is Rose Quartz?"

Steven's laughing once again died down as he frowned a little bit. "Yeah..."

"Why would they wish they could have your 'mom' instead of you? Isn't Rose Quartz already with the rest of the clods?" Peridot asked.

Steven's frown remained; it was clear Peridot had no idea that his mother had sacrificed herself so he could exist. "No, she... she gave up her physical form. For me. Now I have her gem."

Peridot still didn't know how that whole process worked, but the Steven said he would explain it later. For now, though, all that mattered was...

"I'm not sure why they would rather have someone else."

Steven was confused. "What do you mean?"

"Like I said earlier, you're the Steven. I've read various reports and bios about Rose Quartz, but I still don't see why would they want her back. Why would they when they have you?"

* * *

Peridot couldn't believe what she just said.

It wasn't even two days ago that the Steven was her enemy, the obstacle preventing her escape from Earth. And now here she was, reassuring him in his time of need? How did the tables turn so much?

And yet, she didn't feel bad or angry about it. In fact, she felt... happy. Happy that she was helping him.

Happy.

There was no point in denying it, both to herself and out loud anymore: she cared about the Steven. He brought something to her life she didn't have before, and she didn't want to let go of it now that it was there.

And she hated seeing him sad. She really, really did.

* * *

Steven was stunned.

It was true that Peridot never knew his mom, which made her opinion biased. But in Steven's eyes, that didn't matter. Nearly every gem he had ever met - Garnet, Pearl, Amethyst, Jasper - they only saw his mom, although it hadn't been as obvious with the Crystal Gems as it had been with Jasper. Lapis didn't count, as she had been trapped in the mirror for so long that there was no way she could've known what Rose was truly like.

Peridot was different. She just admitted she knew all about Rose Quartz (even though she didn't actually _know_ her), yet she reaffirmed she only saw Steven. Not his mom. Steven.

In Peridot's eyes, he was Steven. Or at least "the Steven," as she would say.

And that was good enough for him.

Rather than replying with words, Steven walked over to Peridot and gave her a hug. Actually, he gave her leg a hug, as she was significantly taller than he was. Still, a hug was a hug.

"Thank you Peridot," said Steven in a cheerful tone.

"Ack! What are you doing?" yelled Peridot, clearly not used to the concept of a hug.

"It's a hug. What does it look like?"

"It looks like you're grabbing me for some reason. What's a hug?"

Steven chuckled. "It's what you do when you're really happy with someone."

Now that she confirmed it wasn't some kind of strange combat grip or something, Peridot relaxed. Still, she was just a little curious as to why they did things such as "hugs" on Earth. "We have no such ritual back on Homeworld."

Steven finally broke off and looked up at the green gem.

"Well, right now you're on Earth, not Homeworld," replied Steven, giving her a smile in the process. Peridot sighed.

"Yes. I guess I am."

* * *

Amethyst filed into the entrance of the house, looking exhausted. This observation would be absolutely correct; she _was_ exhausted, as she had spent the entire day looking for Steven. But her being tired wasn't what was on her mind.

For hours she, Garnet, and Pearl checked the Kindergarten. The surrounding area. They even visited a town about ten to fifteen miles south of the Kindergarten, and searched for him there. Nothing.

They weren't just tired. They were frustrated. And desperate.

Being the only one inside the house, Amethyst grudgingly went to turn on the lights; she was only here to gather a few supplies before they continued the search. Garnet and Pearl were waiting down on the beach, as they planned to split up again as soon as Garnet pointed out where they all needed to look on the map she was grabbing.

Amethyst suddenly felt a twinge of sarcastic happiness. At least Pearl and Garnet were willing to stand on the same beach together. That was a start.

It was approaching 11:00 PM, but gems didn't need to sleep. Even though Amethyst greatly enjoyed sleeping, she put doing so on hold for now. Steven came first. She wouldn't rest until the boy was found and back with them, safe and sound.

When she flicked the light switch to illuminate the house, however, her eyes grew wide. She was wrong about assuming she was the only one in the house.

Sitting on the couch, with his arms crossed, was Greg. He didn't look particularly happy.

"Amethyst."

Amethyst immediately fumbled in her mind for a reply, but she knew it was hopeless. The only plausible explanation for why Greg would be here at this hour was if he knew something. The jig was up.

"Greg! Uh... wh-what are you doing here? No wait, I, uh, how did you get in the house?"

"You guys left the door unlocked."

Amethyst inwardly slapped her forehead.

"Oh. Well then, hehe, just a mistake, I suppose," replied Amethyst, as calmly as she could. It didn't sound calm at all.

"Amethyst, I'm not going to waste any time. Connie came to me today saying Steven wasn't home. You know as well as anyone that he's _always_ been home recently. But there's not just that, you also said yesterday that you and he were playing hide-and-seek. Wh..."

"Amethyst! Have you not grabbed that map yet?"

Greg stopped what he was saying mid-sentence due to Pearl unexpectedly entering the house. "I told you, it's in the cabinet near..."

She looked over to the couch. Pearl's eyes grew wide as well.

"Um... hello, Greg. What brings you here so late?"

Greg's expression didn't move. "Me and Amethyst were just having a little chat."

Pearl began to sweat. "Chat? Well, haha, what could you be chatting about? Hehehe," she replied as casually as possible. Smooth.

Greg finally uncrossed his arms and stood up.

"I'm not going to sugar coat it. Where's my son?"

* * *

 **"Stop the presses!" Or, in this case, the chapter. Eh.**

 **I know that Connie's kinda been shoved to the side in this story since chapter one. I've been waiting for the right opportunity to bring her back, and it finally emerged in this chapter. We'll be seeing more of her in the future, don't worry.**

 **Oh yes, and before I forget to mention this: please know that I am NOT trying to vilify Rose Quartz in this story. It may feel a little bit like that's what I'm doing, but there will be more information that gives a clearer picture in future chapters. Besides, Rose is one of my favorite characters, I could never make her an enemy, lol.**

 **Well, that's about all I've got for now.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	8. Chapter 8

**How's it shakin' (I'm running out of ideas for greetings), and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **I'm aware I ended the last chapter with the Crystal Gems, but this one focuses exclusively on Peridot and Steven interacting. Seeing how that's the main point of the plot, as well as what nearly all of you are reading this story for, today's your lucky day.**

 **Well, that's it from me for the time being. On with the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 **Author's Note**

 _ **Flashback**_

* * *

"I WIN AGAIN!"

Steven threw up both his arms in celebration as he announced his victory, the cards in his hand scattering all across the floor. Peridot, on the other hand, was dumbstruck; she was sure she had been getting the hang of this human "card game." She even thought she had the boy on the ropes.

"This game is preposterous! Your defeat was inevitable! How could you have won?" yelled Peridot as she also threw her cards, although for a much different reason.

"Sorry Peridot! But that's the name of the game!" replied Steven.

"Just what is the name of this game again?"

"Blackjack."

Peridot responded by staring forward with an angry yet thoughtful expression. Try as he might, Steven couldn't hold in the laughter threatening to escape from him. She looked ridiculous.

It only took a few seconds for Peridot to snap out of her daze, however, and re-focus her attention towards the Steven, who was in the process of... making fun of her? Whatever it was, it would not go unpunished.

"I challenge you to a return match!"

Steven finally stopped laughing and took a deep breath. "Again? I've already beaten you twenty eight times. Twenty eight straight times, at that."

Peridot shook her head. "I shall be your downfall this time. Just like how I was the downfall of that multi colored puzzle cube."

A smile was brought to Steven's face at the mention of the Rubik's Cube. It was only a few hours ago, after all...

* * *

 _ **After their earlier conversation, Steven and Peridot sat at opposite ends of the underground chamber. Both were waiting out the duration of the Crystal Gems' search, as neither could risk returning to the surface until they were completely certain they were gone. Because it would probably be a minimum of a few hours, there was a lot of time to kill. At the same time, while neither was sure why, they were both almost hesitant to attempt to strike up another chat.**_

 _ **Steven sat against the wall, taking in his surroundings while occasionally messing with some random stuff he found nearby. He didn't want to admit it, but he found himself growing increasingly exhausted as the day progressed, especially considering he didn't get any sleep last night.**_

 _ **Peridot, on the other hand, was keeping a close eye on the boy from a distance. While she no longer believed or even really suspected he would do so, there was always the chance he might attempt to attack her with some kind of weapon he had hidden somewhere. It never hurt to be careful.**_

 _ **Her paranoia spiked, however, when she saw the Steven suddenly and unexpectedly reach for his carrying container in the shape of some kind of weird... human object? Whatever it was depicting didn't matter. What did matter was why he was searching in the container in the first place. What could he be looking for?**_

 _ **Peridot's fear turned to confusion when she saw the Steven remove what appeared to be a multi colored cube of some kind. It didn't look like a machine, nor did it appear to serve any practical use aside from... what was that cube for? She had to know.**_

 _ **"What's that?"**_

 _ **Steven looked up at the green gem and gave her a smile. "This? Oh, it's my Rubik's Cube!"**_

 _ **Peridot still didn't understand. "Rubik's Cube?"**_

 _ **Steven nodded his head while still wearing the same enthusiastic grin, standing up in the process. "Yeah! Here, I'll show you!"**_

 ** _Peridot was a little startled by his sudden jolt of excitement, but she nevertheless allowed him to sit next to her so he could explain his interesting device, although it appeared to be operated manually with no electric components, thus making it a... whatever._**

 ** _Once Steven took a seat next to Peridot, he eagerly held the cube close so she could take a good look at it. Try as she might, she simply couldn't for the life of her figure out what it was supposed to do, as there was no comparable object on Homeworld._**

 ** _"So what is this thing? Please explain."_**

 ** _Steven once again nodded. "This thing is a puzzle! You know, like to test your brain."_**

 ** _Peridot released a sigh. "I know what a puzzle is. What I don't understand is how..."_**

 ** _"I was just getting to that," interrupted Steven. "The point of this thing is to get each side to have the same color." To demonstrate, the young gem shifted a few parts of the cube around until he was able to get a couple rows to match. "See? It looks easy, but it's actually pretty challenging."_**

 ** _Peridot was fascinated. She had performed many exercises with the sole purpose of sharpening the mind back on Homeworld, but she never would have thought something so simple could be intriguing at the same time. Humans were a primitive species, but they certainly had more than a few wondrous inventions._** ** _Nevertheless, now that she understood the purpose of the cube and what you were supposed to do with it, solving it would be easy._**

 ** _"May I try it?" asked Peridot as she watched the Steven struggle to complete one of the sides._**

 ** _"Be my guest. I've never been able to finish it," he replied as he handed her the cube._**

 ** _Holding it up with just three of her fingers, Peridot took a long look at the puzzle, calculating every angle, every possible move, every different avenue to the completion of her goal. Steven looked at her with wide eyes, wondering what she could be thinking so hard about in regards to solving the cube of frustration._**

 ** _And then she began._**

 ** _As if she had solved the Rubik's Cube hundreds of times before, Peridot's fingers began whizzing around the puzzle, moving each side with a purpose. It was all the more impressive considering she didn't have palms._**

 ** _Steven looked on with amazement._**

 ** _Finally, after nearly two full minutes had passed, Peridot's fingers suddenly stopped moving to proudly display her work. There, pinched between her index finger and thumb, sat the cube, with each side being a single solid color._**

 ** _Steven looked on with amazement. And stars in his eyes._**

 ** _"THAT WAS AMAZING! How did you do that so fast, what's your secret? Tell me tell me tell me tell me tell me!" yelled Steven excitedly, startling Peridot and causing her to drop the cube._**

 ** _"What, the puzzle? It was simple, really. I just used the most logical route to completion."_**

 ** _Steven's excitement didn't dwindle even a little bit. "Which is?..."_**

 ** _Peridot looked at him with a bewildered expression. "Can't you figure it out?"_**

 ** _Now Steven's face fell. Just a little bit. "No... I've tried to solve that thing for years. It took you two minutes."_**

 ** _"One minute and forty seven seconds."_**

 ** _"You get the point," said Steven. "Could you please tell me how you did it? Please please please?" asked Steven while putting on the most desperate, nothing to lose and everything to gain begging face he could._**

 ** _Peridot wasn't entirely sure why, but something about the expression the Steven was making was... irresistible. It was as if he had some kind of hypnotic power. It was really quite strange._**

 ** _"Very well. Watch carefully as I begin with this symbol on the top of the puzzle," said Peridot as she picked up the cube from the ground and shuffled it around, once again mixing up the colors._**

 ** _Steven watched with a big smile._**

* * *

"Yeah yeah, you solved the Rubik's Cube three hundred and twenty two times. It took you under twelve seconds on sixteen of those tries. Do you have to rub it in?"

"Of course. Especially considering you only solved it unassisted ONCE!"

Steven pretended to look insulted. "Hey, it's not my fault! I'm getting better every day!"

Peridot shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Let's just begin this next of... what do you call it again?"

"Blackjack. It's called blackjack," replied Steven as a small grin appeared on his face. He knew he needed to focus on the game, but he couldn't stop yet another fond (and recent, seeing how it happened only an hour or two ago) memory from entering his head...

* * *

 ** _Peridot sat up against the wall of the underground chamber, in the exact same position she had been sitting in for the past two hours. It had been two hours since she discovered the incredible addiction of the Rubik's Cube, and it showed no signs of slowing down or stopping. On the contrary, the fervor Peridot continually solved the puzzle with appeared to only grow stronger, rather than weaker._**

 ** _It had been fun observing her rapidly solve the cube at first (and it was a wonderful feeling when he did so himself without any help, after only about forty five minutes), but Steven had to confess in his head that he felt himself growing bored watching her repeatedly master the conundrum. The clacking of the sides moving had become the only sound in the chamber, and the stillness of the atmosphere was only broken up by her yelling out the time it took her to complete each individual attempt; she was apparently keeping track somehow._**

 ** _Finally, Steven couldn't take it anymore. He stood up from the spot he had also been sitting in for quite some time to retrieve his cheeseburger backpack; Peridot didn't even notice. She also didn't notice him return to the same spot he had just been sitting in just moments before, this time with said backpack. As she completed the cube for the three hundred and twenty second time, however, she did finally take note when he once again reached into his bag. Rather than paranoia, however, this time she felt curiosity as the dominant emotion. What could he be bringing out now?_**

 ** _Her question was answered when his hand emerged from the bag with what looked like a small box. What was inside was a mystery, but the words "Bicycle" and "Playing Cards" were printed on the front. Did they have some sort of significance?_**

 ** _Steven noticed Peridot staring with a questioning look again. Just as she opened her mouth to presumably ask him what he had this time, he decided to beat her to it._**

 ** _"This is a deck of cards. It's meant for entertainment."_**

 ** _Peridot's eyes widened in excitement. "You mean another puzzle?"_**

 ** _Steven shook his head. "Not quite. These aren't really meant to be confusing, but you can do a lot of stuff with them."_**

 ** _Peridot was a little disappointed over the revelation that the Steven apparently didn't have a new challenge for her to attempt, but she was still a little curious nevertheless. "So just what do these "cards" do?" she asked._**

 ** _Steven once again smiled for however many times he had done so that day. "Here, I'll show you a cool trick! Just let me shuffle the deck," said the boy as he turned around to hide the deck from Peridot. As he carefully shuffled, he made sure to memorize both the card at the top and the card at the bottom of the deck. Finally, he turned around again, fanning out all the cards in both hands, face down. It was rather difficult, considering he had tiny hands_ (the only weakness, and don't you forget it) _._**

 ** _"Pick a card, any card! And don't tell me what it is," said Steven as Peridot scanned across the deck. Although she didn't show it on the outside, her mind was running through many different scenarios. She couldn't help but feel that one of these cards was the key to whatever this "trick" was, and she had to select it, on the first try. Or else._**

 ** _Finally, she made up her mind. With a very slow reach towards her target, Peridot picked the second card from the top._**

 ** _Steven gasped a sigh of relief. Had she gone up one more, the entire trick would have been ruined. Nevertheless, it was time for step two._**

 ** _"Memorize what is says, and don't tell me what it is!" said Steven. Peridot did as he asked. It was some kind of strange drawing that looked like a human ruler holding a sword. There also appeared to be two of him on the same drawing, as if the picture was intended to be looked at from both upside down and right side up. If that wasn't enough, there was a symbol at the top depicting what humans would call a "spade."_**

 ** _As much as the green gem wanted to ask about the card she was holding, she had to remain silent. The Steven had given her a strict order not to tell him what was on her card, and she intended to uphold that promise. It came from the Steven, after all._**

 ** _"You got it memorized? When you're ready, put it back in the deck, on the top." said the boy excitedly. Peridot did as he said, placing the card at the highest point possible._**

 ** _"Great! Now allow me to cut the deck, and I'll find you card," said Steven as he did just that, removing a small pile from the bottom of the stack of cards and placing it on the top._**

 ** _Peridot was now extremely interested in what would happen next. There was no mathematical way the Steven would be able to pull the correct card out of that deck unless he got miraculously lucky. It was impossible._**

 ** _It had to be._**

 ** _Unbeknownst to Peridot, however, Steven had a little trick up his sleeve. Because he memorized both the top and the bottom cards from the deck before the trick began, cutting the deck sandwiched Peridot's card in between the two cards he memorized earlier. Now he just had to find it._**

 ** _After a few seconds of shuffling through the deck, Steven smiled. He found his target._**

 ** _"Is this your card?" he asked in an obnoxious accent as he held up the card for Peridot to see. It was indeed the King of Spades, Peridot's card._**

 ** _She couldn't believe it._**

 ** _"Impossible! There's no way you could've done that! The mathematical probabilities against such an outcome are insane!" yelled Peridot, as loudly as Steven had when he watched her solve the Rubik's Cube for the first time._**

 ** _Steven chuckled at her confusion. "Hey, relax. It's not that hard, really."_**

 ** _Peridot still didn't believe him. "You must show me how you performed that maneuver."_**

 ** _Steven's chuckling turned to laughter. He found it rather silly how the shoe was on the other foot now. "Okay, sure. The key is to make sure you memorize these cards first..."_**

* * *

Unlike the Rubik's Cube, it only took Peridot a few successful attempts of the card trick before she grew bored. After that, she had asked the Steven to show her something new you could do with the cards, with the reply coming in the form of a game of blackjack. She wasn't having much fun playing it, but she also wasn't entirely sure why she apparently was so bad at it. The Steven had said she was a terrible "bluffer" or something. Whatever the reason was for her continued misfortune, she would not be satisfied until victory was hers.

The situation was in her favor. She had not one but two tens, right off the bat. Being the dealer, she definitely wasn't going to risk drawing another card. Playing it safe was the best course of action.

"Hit me."

Peridot did what the Steven asked, passing him the card on the top of the deck. A smile appeared on his face.

"Flip 'em."

Both players did so, revealing their hands: Steven had a ten, a five, and a four, while Peridot had two tens. Because she was closer to twenty one, Peridot was the winner.

"HA HA! VICTORY IS MINE!"

Peridot shot up from where she had been sitting to do some kind of victory dance, while Steven laughed hysterically at her antics. Finally, when she calmed down enough to focus again, she noticed the boy's reaction.

"What's so funny? You've been defeated. At last."

Steven had a hard time speaking through his laughter. "It's just your reaction. You're funny."

Peridot wasn't sure how to respond. Nobody on Homeworld ever told her she was funny. She barely even knew what being funny meant. "Uh... thanks?"

After another minute or two, Steven's incessant laughter finally slowed down to the point where he could breathe. "You're welcome," he replied as he gasped for air.

And then he yawned.

All of the excitement with Peridot largely pushed his exhaustion back, but it dawned on Steven that he hadn't received any substantial sleep in more than twenty four hours. Actually, it was closer to two full days, rather than one. He needed to rest.

"Oh shoot, what time is it?" he asked, suddenly aware he legitimately had no idea how late it was. A quick glance at his phone (which he kept hidden in his bag to avoid more questions from Peridot asking him what it was) confirmed it was almost 11:00 PM.

"It's kind of late. I'm gonna hit the hay," said Steven while stifling another yawn.

"Hit the hay? There's none of this "hay" stuff you seek down here," replied Peridot.

Steven chuckled yet again. "It's a figure of speech for going to bed. You know, sleep."

Peridot knew what the activity was, but she never bothered to engage in it herself. Nevertheless, she knew it was apparently a necessity for humans. "Oh. Very well, then."

With a sigh, Steven stood up and walked over to the elevator, carrying his cheeseburger backpack with his sleeping bag rolled up inside. "I'm sure the Crystal Gems are done looking around the Kindergarten. Could you raise this thing?"

Peridot suddenly felt a wave of anxiety wash over her. He was probably right in his assessment that the Crystal Gems were no longer in the Kindergarten, but there was always the chance they could return. After all, they had already done so earlier that day. What if they came back while the Steven was sleeping up in the canyon? They would find him, and take him away.

And she couldn't bear that.

"You may be right, but we don't know for sure. You can just... sleep down here."

For the second time that day, Steven had stars in his eyes. "You mean it?" Peridot nodded her head in response.

"Wahoo! Sleepover! Well, not really, since you don't sleep, but... sleepover!" he yelled enthusiastically while running over to Peridot, almost barreling into her in the process.

"Hey, watch it! You'll knock me over," said Peridot.

"Sorry, sorry. Hey, let's set up!" said Steven as he unrolled his sleeping bag, right where they were standing. Peridot wasn't entirely sure what to do.

"Hey... you've never slept at all, have you?" asked Steven once he was nice and cozy. Peridot shook her head in response; it was almost universally frowned upon back on Homeworld. Besides, it was unnecessary for gems, so why waste time?

"Well, this is a great time to learn! Here, you should try it too!"

After thinking about it for a minute, Peridot decided there couldn't be any harm in at least attempting to sleep. What's the worst that could happen?

"Where do I begin?" she asked, still standing.

Steven gave her a big grin. "To start, you have to get comfortable. You should probably lie down, kinda like what I'm doing," said the boy as he lay back in his sleeping bag. Peridot watched him carefully.

"Like this?" she asked as she also lay down next to him, although she had to do so on the cold floor, rather than the sleeping bag.

"Yeah! But are you sure it's comfortable on the ground like that?"

"It's fine. What's next?"

Steven rolled over to fully face her. "Okay, so this next is step is very important. You need to close your eyes, and basically shut off your mind."

Peridot didn't understand how that could be done. "Shut off my mind? How is that possible? There's no function that neither human nor gem can perform that allows the mind to..."

Steven chuckled for what felt like the trillionth time that day. "It's an expression. It means to... well, just don't think about things. If you're worried about something, just push it to the back of your mind. If you start getting this strange feeling like everything around you is disappearing, let it overtake you. And you'll be asleep before you know it!"

Peridot closed her eyes and tried to do as he said. "Okay, I'm... we'll see..."

"Oh, and one more thing. If you see weird images or it feels like you're doing something while you're asleep, you're dreaming. Think of it like a fantasy because it isn't actually real, even though it feels that way."

Once he had finished his speech, Steven once again rolled around to face away from Peridot. "G'night Peridot." Said gem said nothing in reply. She was too busy trying to sleep.

And it came quickly.

Just as Steven was about to nod off, a few scattered mumbles from Peridot briefly returned him to a fully awake state. As he turned around as quietly as he could, he smiled at the sight of her fast asleep, dreaming about something. Regarding what, only she knew.

He just hoped it was something happy. She deserved it.

And then, before he knew it, the young gem suddenly found himself reflecting on the past day or so, in detail. His mind simply would not allow itself to power down for the night until it had basically archived everything that had happened.

During the past month, the only emotion Steven felt was misery. That much was obvious to pretty much anyone who bothered to pay attention; he had never bothered to leave the house, he never did any of the things he used to love so much, all that stuff. Because he was caught in the middle of Garnet and Pearl's feud (even though he felt responsible, because he believed he was the _only_ one who told Garnet Pearl had been fixing the hub), he could never shake the feeling that he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. It was as if there was no escape.

And yet, there was. And it came from the most unlikely person (or gem) imaginable.

It came from Peridot.

Sure, Steven already felt a sense of relief when he successfully escaped from Beach City. But it wasn't until he met Peridot again, and, more importantly, it wasn't until he realized just what she was going through that things really began to take off. All of his old passion, his personality, his enthusiasm, it was all slowly but surely returning. And it wasn't because of the Crystal Gems.

It was because he found someone just like him. Someone to relate to. Someone to go to.

It was because he found Peridot.

And maybe she thought the same.

"Maybe we need each other," whispered Steven as he fell asleep.

* * *

Peridot jolted awake from her sleep, the dream she had been experiencing suddenly disappearing. It was certainly a pleasant experience, and she was sad it ended so soon.

For some inexplicable reason, it was rather difficult to remember just what it was she had been dreaming about. Still, after thinking hard about it, she was able to recall: her dream was she and the Steven, fooling around and doing all the same ridiculous kinds of things they had done earlier that day.

And it was wonderful.

Still, now that she was awake, Peridot had a sinking feeling that it would pretty much be impossible to fall asleep again, at least that night. As she stood up, however, she almost tripped over the Steven. Again.

Once she made sure she didn't wake the boy from his rest, a quick look at the Earth's clock as depicted from their location revealed it was approximately 2:00 AM. It was time to record another daily log.

With a small sigh, Peridot walked as quietly as she could to the far side of the room, to avoid waking the Steven when she spoke. Once the recording program was ready, she began:

"Log 721. This is Peridot, updating status. Still... on planet Earth. I..."

Peridot stopped to think. These logs were meant to be an archive. Reports to be submitted to Yellow Diamond and the rest of her superiors when she returned to Homeworld. And she was going to return to Homeworld. Right?

Right?

The truth was, she didn't know. There was no conceivable way off of Earth that didn't end in failure. Every attempt to contact help had also been thwarted. No matter where she tried to run, she was always cornered.

But the strangest part was, she didn't mind as much as she used to.

No matter what she could possibly tell herself in the future that suggested otherwise, the past day had been quite unlike anything she had ever experienced before. For one thing, she had spent nearly all of it with the Steven. This would have been unthinkable only a couple days ago, yet it was suddenly reality. But it wasn't just that. The reason today was so memorable was because of how much... fun it was. Something that was non-existent back on Homeworld.

And it was because of the Steven.

The Steven.

Peridot's eyes went wide at her sudden realization. It was as if a firecracker exploded in her brain, and it was completely absurd to even think about. And yet it was becoming more and more plausible by the day.

Was life on Earth really so bad when she had the Steven?

"... I don't know what to do."

* * *

 **And that's all. Until next time, of course.**

 **I'm gonna try to guess what may be on a few of your minds: why a Rubik's Cube and a deck of cards? I picked the Rubik's Cube because I depicted Steven using one back in chapter six (I have a good memory with story details, but I had to check back to confirm that), and it's one of the most recognizable puzzles of all time, making it perfect for what I had in mind. Besides, it was a fun scene to write, lol.**

 **And the deck of cards? Why not? Every stowaway has one. Or something like that.**

 **Well, I'm just about out of thing to say. So, just like every chapter before, I hope you enjoyed.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey everyone, and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **Well... new chapter! And stuff like that. Sorry, but I've got nothing to say right now, lol. On with the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

 _ **Flashback**_

* * *

 _ **Greg finally uncrossed his arms and stood up.**_

 _ **"I'm not going to sugar coat it. Where's my son?"**_

* * *

Pearl and Amethyst looked at each other. Both of their minds were racing to come up with some excuse, with some lie to delay revealing what they so desperately tried to keep secret, but they both knew deep down there was no hiding it anymore. There was nowhere left to turn.

They had to tell Greg the truth.

"Greg..." said Pearl, her voice almost choking up despite saying only one word. She couldn't even find it in her to finish whatever consolation she was planning to say.

"Greg," said Amethyst, picking up where Pearl left off. "Steven's... we don't know where Steven is."

Greg's stern expression didn't move. "What do you mean you don't know?"

Amethyst bit her bottom lip. This part was going to hurt to say the most.

"He... he ran away. He left Beach City."

For nearly a full minute, nobody moved. They barely even breathed.

Greg could... no, would not believe what they were telling him. Steven was _gone?_ How could he have just simply ran away, without a trace? And for that matter, why did they do nothing to stop him? Did they just not know?

Greg's fist clenched as that particular thought crossed his mind. That was exactly the reason why.

He knew he didn't know what was really going on with the Crystal Gems. Sure, everyone seemed just a little more introverted (especially Steven, which bothered him greatly), but he had assumed they would just solve whatever problem they were facing and move on. That's what they did. That's what they always did.

But that's not what they did this time.

At the same time, Greg couldn't help but feel just a little responsible himself. It was true Steven did seem a little more down than usual, but it was also true he would frequently visit, to make sure everything was alright, or at least as alright as it could get. The feeling of guilt was coming, however, from his duty as his father. Why did he not see this coming? How could he have missed what were apparently increasingly obvious signs that something like this was going to happen?

But why didn't the Crystal Gems see it, either?

Greg didn't see Steven as much as they did. He only visited, and recently had to take the initiative to see his son. Steven never visited him in the past month, it was always the other way around. The gems, on the other hand, LIVED with him, even more so in the past month than ever. They were around him constantly, nearly every second of every day, considering he never left the house anymore. How could they have POSSIBLY missed this?

Giant mood swings from Steven just didn't happen out of the blue. Whatever it was that was going on between the Crystal Gems, whatever it was that caused such a dramatic shift in everyone's emotions was the culprit for his decision to run away.

And the worst part was, they were his caretakers. They were supposed to take care of him. They failed.

It was their fault.

"HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN?!"

Pearl and Amethyst were both momentarily shocked by the sudden outburst from Greg. To the best of their recollection, they could almost never remember him yelling so angrily (although it was obviously to be expected now, given the circumstances).

"Greg, we..."

Greg cut Amethyst off. "I don't want to hear your excuses! You're his CARETAKERS! I... no, me and ROSE trusted you to TAKE CARE OF HIM! How could you just let him pack up and run away like this?!"

Pearl and Amethyst visibly winced at the mention of Rose's name. It wasn't because they felt remorse, but because they knew he was right. Rose trusted them to take care of Steven. Not only did they fail Greg by allowing this whole situation to happen, but Rose as well.

Despite all that, however, the two gems first had to take care of the problem at hand. And that problem was calming Greg.

"Greg, we didn't know he would do this! If we had any idea, we would've..." said Pearl, only, like Amethyst, to be interrupted.

"You've been living with him for all this time, especially this past month, seeing how he never leaves the house! How could you NOT have any idea something like this would happen?"

Pearl again felt a twinge of guilt. As much as it pained her to hear these things, every point Greg was bringing up was correct. It was their duty to take care of Steven. Why _didn't_ they see a reaction like this ahead of time? Could it be because they assumed he would always just be a giant ball of sunshine, one that knew no emotion but happiness? Or was it because of ignorance? Selfishness?

Pearl's eyes couldn't really grow much wider, but they did so just a little more at the realization of the word that just entered her mind.

 _"Selfishness."_

It was true. Throughout the entire (and still ongoing) feud with Garnet, the only person or gem Pearl ever thought about was herself. She would care about Steven when he was around her, of course, but her near complete isolation otherwise was due to her emotions completely overwhelming her. Throughout all of the time she had spent alone in the past month, she never once thought about just what kind of an effect this entire conflict was having on Steven. Or even Amethyst.

She thought it was only her battle. But it was affecting everyone.

Especially Steven.

Pearl's train of thought was brought to a halt by Greg releasing a loud sigh. It appeared that he had cooled off a little compared to how he was just a few moments earlier, though he still appeared somewhat upset. "Look, we'll have plenty of time to discuss this later. Right now, we need to find Steven."

Amethyst nodded her head. "That's what we've been doing the past two days, 24/7. The only reason we're here is to get a map of a nearby area we're going to look in."

Greg nodded his head as well. "I'm coming too." Although he was still mad at the gems, he would need their help to find Steven. After all, nine eyes (counting Garnet's third) were better than two.

Pearl's gaze, which had slowly focused on the floor during the past few minutes, immediately snapped back to Greg. "Absolutely not," she said in a tone that sounded more authoritative than she meant for it to be.

Greg's eye twitched. It was obvious that his anger spiked again for a moment, but it appeared he was able to contain it this time, as he spoke in a relatively calm voice. "Of course I'm going to go look. You can't keep me away."

Although her mind was screaming at her to give in, Pearl instead found herself shaking her head. "Greg, we have no idea what we're going to find when we find him. For all we know, he may have gotten himself into trouble. It's too dangerous for you to come with us."

Now it was Greg's turn to shake his head. "You don't understand. This is my son we're talking about here. It's my obligation as a father, and you are _not_ going to prevent me from doing this!"

Pearl opened her mouth to refute, but any counter she had died before arrival. What he was saying held merit; they really couldn't stop him. If they left Greg in Beach City while they searched for Steven elsewhere, who's to say he wouldn't just jump in his van and drive off to look himself?

In suddenly dawned on Pearl that that scenario was precisely the thing they hoped to avoid. It was the reason they didn't tell Greg about Steven's disappearance in the first place; they wanted to make sure he wouldn't do anything dangerous. And if he went to search for Steven by himself, that qualified as doing something dangerous. Who knows what kind of trouble Steven was in?

Pearl shuddered.

Still, it looked like Greg absolutely refused to stay put in Beach City. Whether it was with them or without them, he was going to look for Steven. And there was nothing they could do to stop him. The decision was final.

With a sigh, Pearl finally responded to Greg. "... Okay, fine. You can come with, but be careful. Don't go off and risk getting yourself hurt." She still didn't like the idea of bringing Greg along, but it was preferable to the alternative.

Besides, she wasn't going to let anyone else get hurt because of her ignorance. Not again.

For the first time since they began talking, Greg allowed a small smile to appear on his face.

"Then let's go."

* * *

Steven's eyes blinked open as he awoke from his sleep. The extended period of rest was certainly welcomed, considering he hadn't slept in nearly two full days. Nearly constantly being on edge didn't help, either. Nevertheless, now he was completely refreshed, it was time to...

 _GGGGRRRRRRR_

Steven couldn't stop himself from laughing at the loud growl that escaped his stomach. Still, a growling tummy meant an empty tummy. He needed to eat.

With a small grin still remaining on his face, Steven reached for his cheeseburger backpack next to his sleeping bag. A cheeseburger actually sounded very good right about then, but he didn't have one, unfortunately.

A quick look in the tomato pouch revealed he still had a fair supply of food and water, although it wasn't going to last for a particularly long time. He assumed he would've been able to stock up once he reached the next town, but his meetings with Peridot threw a wrench in his plan.

Peridot.

No sooner had the name crossed his mind then the small grin on Steven's face morphed into a gigantic smile, with all the fond memories of yesterday rushing back to him. It had certainly been a fun time.

 _"Speaking of Peridot, where is she?"_

His question was immediately answered by the hum of the elevator descending to the ground. For just a split second, Steven found himself envisioning the worst possible nightmare of the Crystal Gems being on that elevator instead of his new friend, but his concerns were immediately assuaged by Peridot finally coming into view as the platform descended lower.

"Hi Peridot!" yelled Steven across the room as Peridot stepped onto the floor of the underground chamber.

Peridot smiled as she heard the enthusiastic greeting; she was glad he was awake. Things were starting to get just a little lonely, and she had no desire for things to return to the way before the young gem had arrived. "Hello, the Steven."

Steven felt a sudden rush of hysterical laughter threatening to escape. As hard as he tried, he couldn't hold it in.

He began to laugh. Hard. Peridot was confused.

"What's so funny?"

It took Steven nearly a full minute to calm down enough to breathe, let alone talk, with the only other sound coming from Peridot repeatedly asking the same question in an increasingly desperate tone. Finally, Steven took a deep breath and began to speak.

"It's the way you said hi. It was funny."

Peridot still didn't understand what was so humorous about her perfectly normal greeting. "Hello, the Steven?"

A few more chuckles escaped from Steven. "Yep, that's the one."

"What's so funny about that? You are the Steven, after all."

Steven's expression became a little more serious at the mention of his name. "Hey, about that. I've been wondering, why do you call me 'the Steven?'"

"Because that's what you are, the Steven," said Peridot, unsure where he was planning to take this conversation.

Steven shook his head. "No, not quite. I'm just Steven. No 'the.'"

The confused expression peridot wore earlier returned. "But there's only one Steven, and that's you. That makes you 'the Steven.'"

Steven once again shook his head. "That's not true. There are literally thousands of Steven's all across the world, but, well... you see, everyone is unique! People who share names aren't referred to as 'the', as that implies they're the only person in the whole world who has that name. Well, I guess that could be true for a few unique names, but... you get the idea."

Now it was Peridot's turn to shake her head. "I'm still a little confused. So you're just 'Steven?'"

Steven nodded his head with a smile. "That's right. No 'the.' I'm just Steven, like every other Steven in the world."

Peridot frowned.

"Earth is such a strange place..."

"I'm sure you'll get used to it. There's a lot of cool stuff here, you know!"

Peridot's memory suddenly flashed back to the log she had recorded just a few hours ago. She still had no resolution on what she wanted to do, but... well, there was always time to decide. Okay, maybe not always, but a lot. It wasn't like she had a way of communicating with Homeworld, after all.

"I suppose."

Now that it appeared that the conversation they were having was finished, Steven decided to move onto another topic. "So, what were you doing up there?"

"Checking the area for those Crystal Gems. It looks like they left hours ago."

Steven smiled brightly. "Great! Hey, let's go back up, it's starting to get a little stuffy down here."

Although she had just been up to the Kindergarten, Peridot couldn't exactly argue. Being in the chamber grew somewhat tiring after a while, and it was always nice to get out every once in a while. Or several times every day. Whatever.

"Sure. Why not?"

* * *

Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, and Greg walked through the busy streets of a medium sized suburban town, with no conversation taking place amongst them. Based on first impressions, it was only slightly larger than Beach City, but there were many more people. They had already checked the entire surrounding area, however, meaning the town was the only place left to hide if Steven was around.

After a couple minutes of silence, Greg yawned and stretched his arms; they had been searching for hours, with no end in sight. The gems didn't show any signs of fatigue (considering they didn't need to eat or sleep, they shouldn't have been), but he could slowly feel himself breaking down. Still, the thought of Steven in danger kept him going for the time being.

Once the entire situation had been explained to Garnet, who had been waiting down on the beach during the entire fiasco in the house, she was at first immediately opposed to the idea of Greg joining them on the search. It was only after he used the same reasoning that he used with Pearl, however, that she finally gave in and allowed him to accompany them.

Once the group of four reached what appeared to be the town square, Garnet, who had been at the front, stopped and turned around to face the others.

"Alright, listen up. We'll cover more ground if we split up, so we're going to get eyes everywhere. Pearl, you check the outskirts of the village," said Garnet without looking at whom she was addressing. This did not go unnoticed by Greg.

Garnet continued. "Amethyst, you check all the public buildings around here, accompanied by Greg. I'll check the houses," she said as she cracked her knuckles.

Greg spoke up. "Check the houses? Isn't that kinda... illegal? What if you get caught?"

Garnet didn't even bother to look in his direction. "I won't get caught."

Although he tried to stifle it, Greg ended up audibly sighing. " _I suppose confidence is a good thing,"_ he thought.

Once she had answered the question, Garnet turned around and walked to what appeared to be a suburban part of the village. Pearl sighed and began her trek to the outskirts.

Once they were both gone, Amethyst let out a sigh as well. "Well, I guess we gotta get started too. C'mon, Greg."

Greg didn't move. "Hey, just wait a second." This caused Amethyst to pause and look at him, indicating she was listening.

"What's going on between you four?"

Amethyst pursed her lips. She wasn't entirely sure how to answer; she hadn't told anyone else about the icy silence between Garnet and Pearl. The fact that Greg even suspected something, however, basically confirmed that he knew something was amiss.

 _"Let's not jump to conclusions. He may not really know what he's talking about,"_ she thought. "What do you mean?"

"Steven wouldn't just leave without a good reason. There's been something going on amongst you guys that you aren't letting on about."

Amethyst sighed. Greg was very observant.

"... Fine. You want to know why Steven ran away?"

There was something about the way she worded that statement that made Greg feel uneasy, but he furiously nodded nevertheless. He had to know what drove his son out of Beach City.

"You can't tell Pearl or Garnet I told you any of this."

Greg was growing impatient. "Get on with it!"

Amethyst frowned. "Yeah yeah, I get it. During the past month or so, Garnet and Pearl... haven't been on the best of terms."

Greg raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"They won't speak to each other. Actually, I think it's more Garnet than Pearl, but no matter what, they're not talking. They haven't been willing to for a while now."

Greg began to put to two and two together. "So you're saying this... fight, is what caused Steven to run away?"

Amethyst shrugged her shoulders. "Kind of, but there's more than that. See, before he left, he... he wrote a note."

Greg wasn't sure what to think. "What kind of note?"

"Uh..." Amethyst was disappointed to realize she no longer had the paper with her; it was either with Garnet or Pearl, or perhaps back at the house. "Well, I don't have it with me, but it said... it said that he couldn't take all of us fighting anymore." Although she didn't like keeping even more secrets from Greg, she decided to leave the part about how Steven assumed they only wanted his mother instead of him out of her explanation. Even though it wasn't true, it wasn't the right time to bring that up.

Greg stayed still for a few moments, processing what he just heard. Finally, he opened his mouth to speak.

"Pearl and Garnet need to make up."

Amethyst rolled her eyes. "Well yeah, but it's kinda hard when they won't even..."

Greg interrupted her by shaking his head. "You don't understand. It's not going to just happen. Someone needs to make it happen."

Amethyst wasn't entirely sure what he meant. "How?"

"Well, you know, sometimes it takes a third party to end a conflict. It's called, uh... mediation. There's a TV show all about it. But what I'm saying is, it's gonna take someone to intervene."

Amethyst suddenly knew exactly where he was going. "And that 'someone' is supposed to be me."

"Bingo. You'll have to talk to one of them. Convince them to forgive each other."

Amethyst considered this idea in her head. While there were many ways attempting to step in could go wrong, the entire feud was finally reaching the point where it was necessary. After all, gems lived forever, unless they were killed by something on the outside. Who's to say this conflict _wouldn't_ last for thousands of years?

"It's a good idea, but it probably won't work. They're... or at least Garnet's too stubborn."

"You have to at least try," replied Greg. "I can't see this ending any other way. Besides, when we find Steven, he still won't be happy again if they're still fighting."

Deep down, Amethyst knew it was right. She had hoped when this began that everything would just blow over and return to normal, but it was now obvious that that wasn't going to be the case. Worse still, this realization only came at the cost of Steven running away. From them. From her.

Amethyst let out a long sigh. "I guess you're right, but I'll need to... hey, do you feel that?"

* * *

Peridot and Steven walked through the vast canyon of the Kindergarten, keeping quiet for the most part. Even though it was rather dusty outside, seeing how the Kindergarten was essentially desolate, getting out of the chamber was a refreshing change of pace. Besides, it was rather pleasant out, all things considered.

After a couple minutes, however, Steven's stomach let out another rumble, although it was relatively subdued compared to the last one. Nevertheless, it was a reminder to alleviate his hunger.

After slowing his walking pace for a moment, Steven slipped off his cheeseburger backpack and unzipped the tomato pouch. Peridot also slowed down to pay careful attention; what interesting thing could he be bringing out this time?

Her question was answered when he pulled his hand out of the bag, revealing some kind of... just what was that thing he was holding?

Her confusion only grew as he tore off what appeared to be a protective covering, revealing some kind of small brown bar. "Steven, what is that you've got there?"

Steven smiled. "Hey, you said my name right!"

"You didn't answer my question."

The boy gestured to the candy bar he was holding. "This? Oh, it's just food."

Peridot didn't know what that was. "Food?"

Steven nodded his head. "Yeah, you kinda just chew it up and swallow it. Gems don't need to do it, but humans do."

"Interesting. And what happens if you don't receive this 'food' you speak of?"

Steven thought for a moment of the consequences of starvation. "Well... we die, I guess."

Peridot's eyes grew wide. "D-die?" She refused to allow that to happen to Steven. "Steven! Make sure you consume ALL of that... whatever it is! And conserve whatever energy it brings you! Be careful!"

Steven chuckled at her reaction. "Relax, I'll be fine. I appreciate the concern, though."

Peridot calmed down at Steven's reassurances. It was only when she had a cooler head, however, that realize she had just been complimented. "Uh... thank you."

Steven smiled again. "You're welcome. But you know, you should try eating sometime, it's..."

Whatever Steven was about to say was cut short. And it wasn't by Peridot.

It was by an earthquake.

For just a few seconds, a sudden rumbling resonated throughout the Kindergarten, immediately putting both Steven and Peridot on high alert. It wasn't quite enough to knock them off their feet, but it was still dangerous. A few rocks fell from the top of the cliff in the distance.

And then, as soon as it started, it stopped.

For a few moments, Peridot and Steven said nothing, instead taking the opportunity to catch their breath. Finally, the green gem spoke up.

"What... was that?"

Steven took a few deep breaths before replying. "I think... that was an earthquake."

"An earthquake?"

"Yeah, it's when the ground shakes a lot, and it's always a surprise. We're near a coastline, so we get them sometimes. They're usually really small, but that was one a little bigger than usual," replied Steven, who had now fully recovered from the effects of the tremor.

Peridot surveyed the area. "Well, it looks like this 'earthquake' is over, so... GAAAH!"

The panicked scream that came from Peridot when she looked up immediately caused Steven to do the same. What he saw made it feel like time slowed around him.

The shaking from the earthquake caused one of the enormous gem injectors lodged into the wall of the canyon to come loose. Even worse, it was to the point where it could no longer remain attached, causing it to fall. And as luck would have it, both Steven and Peridot were standing directly below it.

He had a split second to act. And he knew they couldn't possibly hope to jump out of the way in time.

He summoned his bubble.

Not even a second later, the injector violently crashed against the pink sphere, breaking into pieces. The bubble however, remained intact, leaving everything inside it unharmed. He was safe.

And so was Peridot.

A few seconds after the injector crashed to the ground, Steven dissipated the bubble. He then proceeded to go to the side of Peridot, who was trembling on the ground, bracing for a collision that would thankfully never come.

"Peridot!"

As soon as she heard her name, Peridot's head immediately snapped up to look at Steven. "St-Steven... you..."

Steven grinned. "Summoned a bubble that saved both of us?"

Peridot didn't say anything for a few seconds. And then, out of nowhere, a huge smile spread across her face as she tightly hugged him.

"Thank you Steven!"

Steven laughed and struggled to breathe at the same time in her embrace. "H-hey, it's nothing! But, uh, could you please let me go? I need to breathe..."

As soon as he said it, Peridot realized she was probably crushing Steven just a little too tight. Nevertheless, she immediately complied with his demand, letting go of him. "Sorry."

"It's okay," said Steven, while huffing to regain his breath for the second time in the past couple minutes. "Hey..."

"What?"

Now it was Steven's turn to smile. "You just gave me a hug! I thought they didn't do that on Homeworld."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Peridot realized he was right. She did just give him a hug. And it wasn't like she ever did it on Homeworld, like Steven said. It was something she learned here on Earth. And yet she was already putting the things she had learned from Steven into practice, like she was growing... used to it. To Earth.

And she was glad she did.

"I learned."

* * *

 **And that's the end of the chapter STOP I hope you enjoyed STOP. This is how they used to write telegrams. Telegrams are cool.**

 **The whole "Peridot eating" thing has been done a trillion times by now, so I figured I'd change it up just a little bit. I kinda like the way I wrote it. I don't know why I think it's so funny, I just do. Eh.**

 **Speaking of Peridot, it's an enormous relief that I don't have to write "the Steven" anymore. I've had to go back and add the "the" after looking back at a published chapter quite a few times.**

 **Well, you know the drill. I'll see you all next time.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello again, and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **Well, I've got another chapter here for y'all. I don't have a southern accent, but I couldn't resist typing that, lol.**

 **Oh yes, and before it slips my mind: to the guest reviewer by the name of Person who requested that two particular characters appear in the story, your wish has been granted. Well, not really, since I planned for them to appear before you posted your review, but... your wish has been granted.**

 **Okay, that's about it for now, as usual. On with the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

* * *

Amethyst ran through the bustling streets of whatever town they were searching in, taking extra care to avoid bumping into others in the process. Time was not on their side in the search for Steven; they couldn't afford to waste a second.

She and Greg had spent the past hour or so investigating what apparently constituted the most popular destination around town, with no success. Seeing how there wasn't really anywhere else to check that wasn't already covered by either Pearl or Garnet, she decided to rendezvous with the fused gem to plan out what to do next.

"Let's see, she said she would be checking the houses..." mumbled Amethyst as she ran along the sidewalk, scanning the buildings for the sight of Garnet. Thankfully, she got her wish when she saw said gem calmly walking down the other side of the road, her attention turned towards the maze of side alleys that separated each home.

"Garnet!"

Garnet's head snapped in her direction as she called her name. Amethyst in turn responded by running up to her, catching her breath once she stopped in front of her.

"Any luck?" she panted.

Garnet shook her head. "None. I haven't finished checking all the houses, though."

Amethyst nodded her head. "Greg and I just finished looking in the center of the town. He wasn't there."

"Darn it! Where's Greg now?"

"He went to a convenience store to get a coffee. He said he's exhausted," replied Amethyst.

Garnet nodded her head. "I understand. In any event, I need you to help me search the rest of the houses. It'll go quicker that way."

The Earth born gem nodded her head as well. "You got it. Say, has Pearl finished looking where she was assigned yet?"

Garnet's face immediately fell at the mention of her name. "She hasn't."

As soon as the words left Garnet's mouth, Amethyst suddenly remembered what Greg told her just an hour or two ago: _"Bingo. You'll have to talk to one of them."_

Well, with luck, Pearl wouldn't show up for a while. Why not now?

"Hey, Garnet..."

Garnet turned around from where she was walking; she had already continued in the direction she was originally traveling in. "Amethyst, there's no time. We need to go. Now."

"Garnet, please, just... this can't wait."

Whatever response she had been expecting, it wasn't that. With curiosity taking a firm hold, Garnet slowly returned to where she had previously been standing just a moment ago, to listen to whatever Amethyst had to say that was so important.

"I'm listening."

For nearly a full minute, neither gem said anything. Amethyst desperately racked her mind for something, something that would make Garnet see the error in her ways.

"Listen, I know what Pearl did was really rough, but... I..."

Garnet's face turned into a frown, immediately silencing Amethyst. "Amethyst. I already know what you're going to say. And it's no different now than how it was a month ago."

Amethyst's fists clenched.

How? How could Garnet, the leader of the Crystal Gems... or at least the former leader, based on how the team was operating recently, be so ignorant? So... so _stupid?_

It was true what Pearl did was wrong. Tricking Garnet into forming Sardonyx to feel a sense of power, rather than actually using fusion for what it was meant to be wasn't okay. Despite that, however, Garnet's complete and utter refusal to even attempt to accept any sort of reconciliation or truce made the whole situation that much worse. Didn't she have any clue how far-reaching the consequences of her seemingly endless vendetta were? In case she didn't really notice, Steven was _gone!_ He was gone, far away from them doing who knows what, and it was because of this useless feud!

And even though she had three eyes, she was too blind to see it.

"How could you possibly say that?" said Amethyst, a little louder and harsher than she meant to.

"Amethyst, what Pearl did was..."

"I know what Pearl did! I saw it just as clearly as you, and I get that what she did was wrong! I know how important fusion is to you... but isn't Steven important as well?"

Now it was Garnet's turn for her hand to clench tightly into a fist. "Don't you dare bring Steven into this."

Rather than backing off like Garnet was probably hoping for, Amethyst instead chose to hold her ground. "By this point, I have to. You read the note he left us just as clearly as I did... well, maybe not as clearly, but you still read it. Don't you see it? Don't you see that he ran away because of us? Because of...

... because of you?"

Garnet remained completely expressionless. For the first time, however, Amethyst could see that she was... trembling? Whatever it was, she looked to be deep in thought, although it was hard to tell behind her shades.

"Amethyst."

She held her breath. _"Please."_

"You know as well as I do that we need to focus on finding Steven first."

Amethyst's spirits sank.

Nothing had changed.

* * *

Pearl walked along the edge of the town square, her head hung low. Just like every other place she had searched beforehand, Steven wasn't there. It felt like he wasn't anywhere.

"Hey! Pearl!"

Pearl's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a familiar voice calling her name in the distance. With a sigh, she stopped to allow Greg to catch up to her. To inevitably report that he and Amethyst hadn't found Steven.

"Have you found Steven yet?" he asked as he caught up to her.

"No, Greg. I'm assuming you didn't either."

He shook his head in response. "We'll just have to buckle down and keep looking. Where's Garnet?"

As soon as he said it, Greg immediately regretted what just came out of his mouth. Nevertheless, what he desired to say differently didn't change the small frown that appeared on Pearl's face.

"She's... I don't know. Somewhere near the houses."

Greg said nothing. He could've simply accepted this answer and made his way over there. In fact, this easily would've been the most logical thing to do, not to mention the easiest.

But it wasn't what he was going to do.

"Pearl... I know what's been happening between you and Garnet."

Greg knew he was breaking his vow to Amethyst by telling her he knew what was going on amongst the Crystal Gems, but he also knew deep down that this was the right thing to do. Pearl was never going to go and try to fix this herself; she needed a little push first. And why couldn't he help bring an end to this bitter silence? The silence that took Steven away from them?

Pearl's eyes grew wide.

"B-but... how...?"

"Amethyst told me."

Pearl sighed. It figured.

Greg continued. "Look, I don't know very much about fusion - though I'm sure you remember that time I tried to fuse with Rose - but I do know that it's a very big deal to Garnet."

A small frown appeared on Pearl's face. She didn't need to be lectured by Greg, of all people. "If you're trying to make me go on a guilt trip, it's not going to..."

"Let me finish. With all that being said, I think... I think you need to apologize to Garnet."

Pearl could feel her hand shaking. Apologize to her? How?

She wanted nothing more than to end this fight. To put everything that's happened in the past month in the rearview, to move forward. To focus on more important things - like finding Steven.

But how could she just walk up to her and say sorry? How could she apologize to someone who won't even listen?

Pearl knew Garnet better than anyone. If there was two qualities that she had about her, she was level-headed, and she had a very good memory. The passage of a month wouldn't do anything to change her stance towards this disagreement.

"... Pearl?"

Pearl's train of thought was suddenly disrupted by Greg calling her name. "Yes?"

"Are you okay? You kinda zoned out."

"What? Uh... of course I'm fine! Heh heh..." replied Pearl in the happiest tone she could muster while fighting to hold back tears.

"Uh, okay then. You think we should join Garnet and Amethyst, if she's over there?" asked Greg. Pearl immediately knew the answer.

"No. Well, you can if you want, but I'll... I'll just head back to Beach City. I need to... grab a few supplies."

Greg squinted his eyebrows. "Um... okay then. You can borrow the van if you want."

Pearl shook her head. "Thank you, but I'll pass. I'll just walk."

And with that, Pearl turned around and began to walk away. Greg looked on with a sigh.

"It's gonna take awhile."

* * *

Garnet sat in the room belonging to what appeared to be a small child. Nobody in whatever family lived here was home, and she had no idea when they would be home. It didn't matter.

What did matter was the conflict.

"We need to forgive her..."

"No! What she did is unforgivable!"

"But we have to find Steven..."

"I know, but how can we just...!"

Before she could finish whatever it was she was planning to say, a bright flash of light suddenly engulfed the room. When it faded enough for the surroundings to be visible again, something was very different from just a moment ago.

Garnet was no longer there. In her place stood Ruby and Sapphire.

"How can you say we should just make up with her? You know what fusion means to us!" yelled Ruby.

"I'm furious as well, but we must look at this rationally. Holding a grudge won't help us locate Steven, and even when we do..." replied Sapphire, only to be cut off.

"I want to find Steven too! I care about him just as much as you! But if you think I'm gonna put on a nice big smile and act all happy towards Pearl because he's missing, you've got another thing..."

"Garnet? I checked the house you asked me to, he wasn't there."

Ruby and Sapphire's conversation was interrupted by Amethyst, who had expected to find Garnet somewhere in the house. It wasn't until she had opened the window to enter the room, however, that she actually looked inside for the first time.

"... Aw, crud."

* * *

"Oooohhh... I feel sick."

Steven lay propped up against the wall of the underground chamber, curled up in a ball as he tried to ignore the feelings coming from his stomach. He wasn't having a lot of luck.

"Steven, you're CERTAIN that this affliction will not prove to be fatal?"

"Yes, Peridot, I'm sure. It's just a stomach ache, I'll... ugh."

Peridot nodded her head as she felt a wave of relief wash over her as the boy reaffirmed he would be okay. Whatever this sickness was that was affecting Steven, it didn't have the look of one of those deadly diseases humans apparently struggled with, but it still didn't seem to be very pleasant, either.

And although she had no way of knowing, she was right. It wasn't very pleasant at all.

 _"So the candy bar... or bars I had expired a few months ago. How was I supposed to know that when I grabbed them before I left? I didn't bother to look..."_ thought Steven as another wave of nausea crept up on him. He had yet to actually throw up, but he didn't know how long he could keep that fact true.

At the same time, Steven couldn't help but feel like a fool. Not only did he not bring any medicine with him (the gems never kept any around the temple), but now all of the food he had with him was inedible. If the candy bars were expired, it probably meant everything was expired.

What could he do?

 _"Well..."_

"Hey, Peridot," said Steven as he sat up slowly.

"Yes?"

Once he was completely upright, Steven turned his head to look at her. "Listen. I'm... gonna need to go into town."

Peridot wasn't sure what he meant. "Town? What town?"

And then it dawned on her.

"Steven! You can't be serious!" She felt a massive feeling of disappointment well up in her as she saw him nod his head.

"I have no choice. I don't have any food that I can actually eat without getting sick, and you remember what happens when humans don't eat."

Peridot shuddered at the very thought of what could happen to Steven. Still, going back to his previous base to collect food supplies was an extremely risky proposition, and one she didn't want him to take. "Steven, I don't think this is a good idea. You could get caught!"

Steven shook his head, his face morphing into... a smile? Why?

"I don't know why, but I have a hunch. They won't catch me."

Peridot opened her mouth to object, but something stopped her. Why couldn't she come up with a counter? No matter what the reason, it didn't change the fact that she could see the determination. He was going to go, no matter what she said. And she couldn't stop herself from admiring his bravery.

Still, if he was going, then she would make sure he would be alright.

"If you're going, I'm going too."

Steven's eyes grew wide. "But... I... what if you get caught? Even though I just said I have a hunch, there's still always the chance they'll find us, and what if they..." said Steven, his voice slowly fading. He couldn't even bring himself to think about what the Crystal Gems would do to Peridot if they captured her.

Peridot shook her head. "Steven, I want make sure you stay safe. Besides, we can protect each other if we get into trouble. It would be better than being caught individually."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Steven suddenly felt a rush of excitement as stars appeared in his eyes. She was right.

Even though what they were doing was undeniably dangerous, it would also be undeniably safer if they had each other's backs. Why risk doing it by himself when the two of them could probably operate much more efficiently? Besides, it would be like they were going on a secret mission! It would be like... a secret team, or something like that!

A smile appeared on Steven's face. "Let's do it."

Peridot grinned as well.

* * *

"Um... are you guys okay?"

Sapphire slightly turned her head to look at Amethyst, although it was hard to tell considering her one eye was relatively hidden. "Yes, Amethyst, we're fine. Ruby and I are just having a small disagreement."

"Disagreement? Small?! Why you... do you think fusion is just some small thing?"

Amethyst squinted her eyebrows. That was why they unfused? Because they were... having a disagreement over fusion? But they had been fused into Garnet for centuries! Something didn't add up.

"Hey, if you don't mind me asking, why are you two unfus..."

"Fusion is everything to us, Sapphire! How can you just... FORGIVE HER?!"

Amethyst silently gasped. Everything suddenly made sense.

Ruby and Sapphire were unfused because they were in disagreement over "forgiving her?" It didn't take a detective to figure out that "her" was referring to Pearl, but the only reason they would split apart over this would be if there was a serious divide in their individual opinions. From what she could gather, it appeared Sapphire was the one who wanted to at least make a truce with Pearl, while Ruby wanted to continue what's been happening over the past month. She wanted to continue the feud.

Why?

Amethyst's train of thought was interrupted by Sapphire. "Ruby, I'm still angry at her as well. But you know as well as I do that we aren't going to make much progress finding Steven if we..."

"Stop bringing Steven into this! Like I told you earlier, I miss him too, and I want to find him just as much as you! But I won't... no, I can't work with HER to do it! She doesn't even care about what she did to us! Otherwise she would've at least tried to say sorry!"

"Ruby, you know forgiving her is necessary. Finding Steven should take priority over everything. We don't see him as just Rose's gem, but it'll be very difficult to convince him of that if we haven't made up with Pearl."

For the second time in the past few minutes, Amethyst felt something click in her mind.

Was this the real reason Garnet refused to speak to Pearl? Because Ruby assumed that Pearl just... didn't care? That she _wasn't_ upset over everything that's happened, just because she didn't try to apologize?

Nothing was farther from the truth. The real reason Pearl didn't apologize was because she could never find it in her. Amethyst knew for certain that she regretted everything she did, manipulating Garnet to form Sardonyx, every second of every day since it happened. But at the same time, Pearl was never one to openly say her more sad emotions, whatever the reason. Neither was Garnet.

And as for Sapphire? Didn't she realize that Steven ran away because of all the negativity amongst the gems, not just because of his lack of self-esteem? Didn't she realize he also ran away because of the fight?

 _"I guess Garnet didn't really listen to what I said earlier..."_

Still, Amethyst couldn't help but feel that this could be the break she had been looking for. This wasn't Garnet telling some denial of her emotions behind the cold, stoic expression she had grown so used to in the past few weeks; this was Ruby and Sapphire, out in the open and arguing about the reasons why they unfused. About the reasons why they couldn't end the silence that tore the team apart.

But now, Amethyst had just a strange feeling she knew how to end the feud. And ending the feud would bring them one step closer to finding Steven.

"Ruby... is that what you really think?"

Ruby turned her head to look at Amethyst for the first time. "What are you talking about?"

"About Pearl... do you really think that's how she feels?"

Ruby couldn't exactly frown any more, but she most assuredly would've had she been able to. "Of course it is. Otherwise she would apologize to us! Not that she would mean it even if she did..."

Amethyst shook her head. "Look, I know Pearl just as well as you. And I also know that she... she cares. More than you think." Ruby also shook her head (although for a much different reason) as continued to pace around the room.

"Ruby, you know we need to..." said Sapphire.

"I'M NOT GOING TO FORGIVE HER! She doesn't deserve it, she doesn't..."

"I'm aware Pearl doesn't exactly 'deserve it', but I can only see us finding Steven in the future if we end this silence between her and us. Don't you want to find Steven?"

Ruby looked at the floor.

"I'm not forgiving her. Not after what she did."

Amethyst sighed. It looked like it was going to take a little convincing.

* * *

"What did you say we would have to do again?"

"We're going to have to jump a train. Don't worry, it's easy if its moving slow."

"But you're having a hard time walking, let alone jumping onto whatever we're going to jump on!"

"I'm feeling better!"

Steven and Peridot were in the midst of a little argument near the train tracks. Neither side really meant to aggravate the other, but both were still trying to prove their points.

"Steven, it's too dangerous. I'll let you go near your former base of operations if I'm with you, but I won't allow you to jump on what you describe as a 100 miles per hour vehicle," said Peridot.

"Aw, I was exaggerating. It's not actually moving that fast. See, here comes one now!"

Sure enough, the bright lights from down the tracks indicated a train was headed right towards them. Because the train was heading towards Beach City instead of away, however, this train was on the second track, unlike the first time Steven had hopped on a train.

While the train wasn't moving at the speeds Peridot had predicted, it was still chugging along just a little too fast for her liking. As the train finally began to pass them, she had to yell to be heard over the noise.

"ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE FEELING WELL ENOUGH TO DO THIS?"

"UH... IT DOESN'T HURT TO TRY!" replied Steven.

While Steven felt a rush of adrenaline and Peridot a rush of fear and concern, neither of them could jump because none of the cars were open. As if it began to do so just for them, however, the train inexplicably began to slow down, presumably due to something going on at the front of the cars. It never stopped entirely, but it certainly wouldn't be very difficult to board anymore. Peridot felt herself relax.

Finally, after a minute of waiting, a few open cars began to pass by. "Look, we've got a few empty boxcars here! Are you ready?" asked Steven. They no longer needed to yell, as the slowing of the train also reduced the noise it made.

"Um... no?"

"Good enough!" said Steven as he charged for the nearest empty car, jumping inside it with precision.

"STEVEN!" screamed Peridot in a panic; she didn't expect him to jump so soon. With a renewed sense of worry, Peridot rushed for the same car Steven was on, throwing herself inside just in time. The boy began to laugh.

Peridot wasn't amused.

"Do you have... any idea... how reckless... that was?" she said in between gasps.

"Well... yeah, but we needed to take a risk! The train wasn't going to just stop. Probably."

Peridot had an angry expression as she looked at Steven. "Probably not, but you didn't need to act so impulsively! What if you got hurt?"

"I wasn't going to get hurt!"

"You don't know that! And I don't want to see it happen!"

Steven opened his mouth to say something. He could find nothing.

He knew Peridot and himself had a connection in recent days. That much was undeniable. But what she just said, as well as the concern she showed for him just a few moments before, made Steven feel something he hadn't felt in a long time while with the Crystal Gems. Secure? No, that wasn't it.

Wanted. He felt wanted. Wanted because Peridot cared about his well being. Wanted because she cared about him.

Him. And it wasn't only because of Rose.

Rather than replying with words, Steven stood up and walked over to where Peridot was sitting. She still looked somewhat upset as she watched him every step of the way. Once he reached her, he sat down next to her.

 _"What is he doing?"_

Her question was immediately answered when the boy wrapped his arms around her in a small hug.

"... Thank you."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Peridot instantly felt any angry emotions leave her. Still, she had to know.

"For what?"

Steven hugged her tighter in response. Peridot smiled.

And she hugged back.

* * *

 **... It is kinda adorable, isn't it?**

 **There's gonna be lots coming up soon, so buckle up and get ready for the ride. Yes.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	11. Chapter 11

**How's everybody doing today (or tonight), and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS ABOUT EP. 70 "CATCH AND RELEASE" ARE IN THIS A/N. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE EPISODE AND DON'T WISH TO BE SPOILED, SKIP THIS ENTIRE AUTHOR'S NOTE.**

 **Anyways, now that we have that out of the way, let's discuss a little bit.**

 **And you people thought the way I'VE been depicting Peridot is cute? This past episode... help.**

 **So, on to the question I received asking whether Peridot's limb enhancers (now that we know that they're mechanical) will come off at some point in this story, and to answer: I'm not completely ruling it out, but I'd say it's very unlikely. I'm not entirely sure how I would fit that in, and I'm trying not to include anything canon from the show beyond Ep. 63, although it's becoming increasingly difficult with all these new details being revealed and such.**

 **Despite all that, do you want to know the best part about the last episode? Now that Peridot's living in Steven's bathroom, we're probably gonna see her ALMOST EVERY EPISODE. At least, hopefully. Let the pandemonium in the streets begin.**

 **SPOILERS END HERE**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

* * *

"So, welcome to Beach City... hopefully not for long."

"It seems rather small, Steven."

"Well, the city's kinda down there. We've just entered the boundary of the area."

Steven and Peridot walked past the gigantic sign depicting the happy seagull wishing goodbye, indicating they had entered the official boundaries of Beach City. The actual town was a little further down the road, but it wouldn't be too long now. And it didn't look particularly dangerous either, to the relief of Peridot.

Although Steven didn't want to have to return even for a second to the city he so desperately tried to escape, the lack of food he had with him at the Kindergarten was a pressing matter that couldn't be ignored. And there was no disputing the fact that Beach City was both the closest and most familiar area to stock up on supplies.

The familiar part was going to be a problem.

"Hey, hold on for a second," said Steven as he stopped. Peridot patiently waited as he rooted through his bag, although her curiosity once again began to take hold. He always seemed to bring out something new and interesting every time he opened up that miraculous storage unit. This time he came up with... two unidentifiable articles of what appeared to be human clothing? Whatever it was, she had to know.

"Steven, what are those?"

"My disguise," replied the boy as he slipped his sweatshirt on, in addition to putting on his sunglasses. He then proceeded to put the hood up, obscuring his face. "I can't let anyone in Beach City recognize me."

While she wasn't entirely sure why he would go to such great lengths to keep himself hidden, Peridot decided this was wise logic. But something didn't seem right...

"But... what about me? I'll need one of those 'disguises' too, or the Crystal Gems will see me."

Steven shook his head. "They never bother to go into town. Well, maybe Amethyst, but she hasn't done so in a while, trust me. You'll be alright... for now."

Peridot released a sigh. She still didn't exactly feel comfortable with walking around town without a way to hide herself as well, but it didn't matter as long as Steven was alright. Besides, she trusted his judgement. If he said the Crystal Gems didn't go into town very often, they didn't go into town very often.

Finally, after another minute or two of walking, the two gems reached the outskirts of Beach City. It was relatively early in the evening, but the streets were completely deserted.

"Steven, it doesn't look like there are any other humans nearby. Your disguise seems largely unnecessary," said Peridot.

Steven shook his head. "These are the neighborhoods. Everyone else is probably in the center of the town, doing whatever. We need to avoid that area."

"But where are we going to get the supplies you need?"

Much to Peridot's surprise, Steven smiled. "I know just the place."

Seeing how he only left the city for good a few days ago, Steven still remembered his way around perfectly. Peridot, however, was completely unfamiliar with the area (not to mention constantly curious about nearly everything), so he knew he would have to be extra careful. Finally, once they reached a relatively inconspicuous alleyway, Steven signaled for them to stop.

"But what's the purpose of what you call a 'mailbox?'" asked Peridot as she pointed to one across the street. "Humans have technology, albeit extremely archaic, available to them, so it would make much more sense to devise a system where messages can be sent by..."

Steven put a finger to his lips while scanning the area, indicating Peridot to be quiet. She got the message, as she immediately stopped talking. Finally, when the coast looked clear, the boy began to speak in a whisper.

"Peridot, I'll be happy to explain everything to you later, but right now we need to be quiet. I know I'm in disguise, but it would be far easier to just not be seen at all. Okay?"

Peridot seemed disappointed that she wouldn't be receiving an answer to her question anytime soon, but she nodded her head anyways. Steven's survival came first, no matter what.

The young gem smiled. "Then let's go."

And they began to sneak.

Well, sneaking actually became darting between alleyways as fast as they could, but they were still being relatively stealthy. Occasionally a car would pass by the road, causing them to freeze in whatever alley they were hiding in (Peridot had to force herself from bombarding Steven with questions regarding what that machine was), but they were never caught.

About ten minutes later, Steven and Peridot finally arrived at their destination. The green gem stared up at the enormous object on the roof. Try as she might, she simply couldn't keep her vow any longer.

"Steven, what is this... Big Donut?"

For the second time in the past little while, he smiled in response. "This place is the Big Donut! One of my favorite places when I was still around here. And the giant thing on the roof is just a decoration; the Big Donut is the name of the business."

Peridot nodded; now that she knew what the purpose of "the Big Donut" was, it was actually quite a clever attention grabber. It was practically impossible to miss. But still, something didn't add up.

"But what's a 'donut?'"

Steven's eyes lit up. "You mean you've never... well, I guess it makes sense since you said you've never eaten before. Anyways, what a donut is, huh? Well, you see..."

Peridot was growing impatient. "Yes?"

"... You know what? You'll find out later, I promise. But right now, we need to focus."

She wasn't really sure what he meant. "Focus on what?"

"On getting donuts. Many of them."

"And how are you going to do so?" questioned Peridot.

Steven shuffled his feet and laughed nervously. "See, here's the thing... I can't really do it. But you can."

"Very well, but be... what?"

* * *

Pearl sighed as she opened the door to the house, allowing herself inside. It was only when she did so that she realized they left the door unlocked again, but it didn't really matter. Burglaries in Beach City almost never happened (which only helped make it a safer place to raise Steven).

Once she was inside, Pearl walked over to the couch and sat down. Although she told Greg she was stopping at the house to gather a few supplies before heading out to search yet again, that was a lie; what she really wanted and needed to do was distance herself from everyone else.

Especially Garnet.

As soon as the name crossed her mind, Pearl put her head in her hands. There was so much to think about, it was overwhelming.

Why? Why couldn't she just apologize to Garnet? Was she just too much of a coward to do so? Too afraid to see what her reaction would be like?

Deep down, Pearl knew that was one of the reasons why this icy silence between herself and the fused gem felt like it would never end, but it wasn't the only. Yes, her hesitation was holding her back, but even if she found it in her to say sorry, who's to say Garnet would listen?

She wouldn't.

Throughout the past month, Garnet had practically redefined the meaning of the term "cold shoulder". Not only did she not speak to Pearl, she refused to even hear anything she had to say. The most conversation they had made since the whole Sardonyx incident was Garnet issuing an order to her back in the town a few hours ago.

A single tear threatened to fall.

In Pearl's mind, that was the most excruciating part about this entire feud; it wasn't like it would end anytime soon, no matter what she did. She could beg Garnet to forgive her all she wanted, but if there was one thing the other gem was known for, it was dedication. She would never forgive Pearl. Never.

"What can I do? How can I convince her I'm sorry? How..."

And then the sobbing began.

* * *

"Steven, this is completely absurd!"

"Relax, this'll work! At least, it better."

"But these 'gloves' don't even fit me!"

Steven and Peridot stood in the parking lot behind the Big Donut, with a little verbal argument permeating the silence (though not loud enough to be heard by anyone inside the store itself). The sky was still fairly bright, but night would fall soon enough.

Steven gave a sigh of resignation. "It's a tight fit, but they'll work. The point is to hide your fingers with my winter gloves, so they can't see they're detached."

"But why do I need to do that? Why do I need to go in there at all?" asked Peridot in a desperate tone.

"Let me run through this again. The two people that work at this place, Lars and Sadie are their names, know me really well. They'll see through my disguise in a second. Because of that, I need _you_ to go in there and buy the donuts!"

Peridot furiously shook her head at this explanation. "Steven, I've never interacted with a human besides you before! What would I say?"

"You only need to tell them, 'give me a baker's dozen donuts, please.' If they ask what kind, say chocolate. That's all."

There was still something about this strategy that didn't make sense to Peridot. "I guess I can see where this plan comes from, if the people inside that structure would recognize you, but why do you need me to wear these 'gloves' to hide my touch stumps?"

"Here's the thing: I know for a fact nobody around here looks like you. The gloves will hide your fingers, so they don't get curious and ask a bunch of questions, or even call... whoever you call when you find something really interesting and they put it on TV. In a documentary."

Peridot tried to think of some way to wiggle out of this in her mind, but she could come up with nothing. And although she wasn't exactly willing to go along with this plan, Steven's life was apparently at stake here.

Peridot suddenly felt a rush of determination.

Steven smiled. "Okay, it looks like you're ready to go. Just remember these two things: give them this piece of paper when they hand you the bag of donuts," said Steven as he handed her a twenty dollar bill, "and whatever you do, do NOT let them see how the fingers... touch stumps, whatever are detached from the rest of your arm. You ready?"

Peridot gulped. "I guess so." Her mind was screaming at her to back out, but she couldn't. It was for Steven.

"Then good luck!"

Peridot slowly walked to the front entrance of the Big Donut, her only protection being Steven's inside out jacket. She could not believe how she was going to do this.

"Well, here's goes nothing."

As soon as she pushed the door open, a little bell signaled to the human behind the counter that someone had arrived. From what Peridot could tell based on a first glance, she appeared to be a little older than Steven, with blonde hair.

"Hi, can I help you?"

Peridot nervously walked up to the counter and looked around. "Um..." she said as she tried to remember what Steven told her to say. "A baker's dozen donuts, please?"

Sadie nodded. "A baker's dozen, huh? You don't hear that being thrown around very often."

Peridot stared straight ahead, her eyes wide. She said nothing.

"Uh... what kind of donuts do you want?"

This time, Peridot immediately remembered what she was supposed to say. "Chocolate."

Sadie suddenly found herself just a little creeped out by this mystery person's completely blank expression. "Coming right up. So... are you from around here?" she asked as she began to grab the donuts from behind the glass display (wearing disposable gloves, of course), dropping them in a bag.

Although Peridot had no desire to converse with this human apparently named "Sadie", she saw nothing wrong with answering this question. "No."

Now it was Sadie's turn to not say anything. Thankfully, the silence was broken up by Lars emerging from the back room.

"Sadie, there's a..." he immediately stopped when he looked at Peridot. It took everything he had to hold in his laughter, but even then he could barely do so. Who was this person, and why was she dressed so ridiculously?

When Sadie finished placing all the donuts in the bag, she set it down on the counter. Peridot felt a small pang of relief; the hard part was over. Without a word, she placed the twenty dollar bill on the counter, picked up the donuts, and turned around to leave. Even after she had left the building, Lars and Sadie stared at the door, neither of them exactly sure what to make of what just happened.

Once she was out of the those humans' line of sight through the windows, Peridot immediately sank to the ground, an indescribable feeling of victory welling up inside her. The temptation to yell in triumph was enormous, but doing so would give both herself and Steven away.

Steven.

As soon as she thought of the name, Peridot immediately stood up again and went around to the back of the building. For a second or two, her feeling of victory was replaced by fear, but her concerns were relieved when she saw him sitting against the wall, rubbing his arms together to keep warm.

"Did you get the..." Steven was cut off by Peridot holding up the bag for him to see.

"Peridot, I... thank you." As soon as he sent her into the store, Steven felt like a fool; why was he putting his friend in such danger? Yet she succeeded anyways. He wasn't exactly sure how to thank her.

"It's fine, Steven. Really."

Steven smiled and stood up. "Well, thanks again. Anyways, we'll stop at the grocery store for a few more things, and then we'll head back to the Kindergarten."

Peridot flinched. This particular trip went, now that she thought about it, easier than expected, but what would this 'grocery store' be like? Would she have to walk up to the counter and barter again, except in a more stressful environment? Whatever it was, it sounded very nerve-racking. Thankfully for her, this reaction didn't go unnoticed by Steven.

"It'll be fine, you won't have to do what you just did again. I've almost never been to the grocery store, so I won't know anyone there. Just so long as I don't see anyone I know shopping or something."

Peridot felt a small smile appear on her face. "That sounds fair, so let's..."

"Oh, but one more thing. You're going to have to keep wearing the gloves until we leave Beach City. I'm paranoid. And, uh... could you wait outside for this one?"

Peridot sighed.

 _"For Steven."_

* * *

"Ruby, you just don't understand."

"Oh yeah? So just what is it I don't understand, then? Because I'd like to think I understand pretty well!"

Amethyst shook her head to herself a little as the two gems walking behind her continued to argue, back and forth and back and forth and back and forth and...

 _"Ugh."_

Ever since they unfused, the only thing Ruby and Sapphire had done was bicker. The search for Steven basically came to a standstill; even though it theoretically should've gone faster now that there were three of them rather than two, their constant fighting instead brought the whole operation to a screeching halt. Worse still, they showed absolutely no signs of stopping, and knowing the two of them (Ruby in particular), it looked like it could go on for a while yet. And the worst part was, because of this disagreement between the two, Amethyst couldn't even attempt to convince them to forgive Pearl. They couldn't even forgive each other at the moment.

 _"Because that's exactly what we need. Another argument, right?"_

As they rounded a corner in the now largely empty city (considering it was getting dark), Amethyst's train of thought was interrupted by a familiar voice in the distance.

"Amethyst!"

She turned her head to see Greg waving his arm at the end of the road, the van parked next to him with the headlights on. With a shrug of her shoulders, she began to trudge on over there, Ruby and Sapphire in tow; it looked like they were probably going to leave the town now that they had checked nearly everywhere.

Once she came near to the car, Greg began to speak again. "I checked a few more places, but I didn't find him. Any luck?" he asked. Amethyst shook her head.

"Say, where's Garnet?"

As soon as the question left his mouth, the Earth born gem responded by stepping to the side, revealing Ruby and Sapphire walking down the road, side by side. Thankfully, they appeared to at least temporarily burn themselves out, as neither of them were saying anything. Greg blinked and quickly shook his head to confirm he wasn't seeing things.

"... Aw, crud."

Amethyst couldn't help but smile a little. "You know, that's exactly what I said."

Once Ruby and Sapphire had caught up to them, Greg rubbed the back of his head and awkwardly chuckled. "Well... we're gonna head back to the house now, okay? You guys can just sit wherever you want in the van."

Sapphire walked over to the passenger side door and pulled it open, taking a seat and buckling her seat belt. Ruby climbed onto the roof and also sat down, arms crossed.

Greg chuckled again. It sounded even weirder than last time.

* * *

Connie sighed as she stared out at the beach, her chin resting in her hands. She just didn't know what to do.

For the second time in the past few days, she had visited the house to see if Steven was around, and once again there was nobody home. To make matters worse, even Mr. Universe was gone this time, as he wasn't at the car wash, and the van was nowhere to be seen. It was like everyone just disappeared.

What was going on?

The more she thought about it, the more the whole situation infuriated her. Why were none of the gems ever around? Why was Steven never around? He's never been anywhere _but_ his house the past month, and now everyone's suddenly gone? It didn't make sense.

With frustration growing, she reached down and grabbed a nearby rock. She was about to throw it as far as she could, when she suddenly noticed two people in the distance, walking in her direction. With an inaudible scowl, her arm lowered and she dropped the rock. She didn't want to look strange in front of these people.

The two of them, one of them being a short and large blonde haired girl, the other a tall and skinny teenage boy with strange ears, eventually got close enough to the point that she could hear their conversation as they walked by her. Although she learned at an early age not to eavesdrop, she couldn't help but listen.

"... and did you see what she was wearing? What a crazy outfit."

"She said she wasn't from around here, and I sure haven't seen her before. I think I'd remember someone that lived here in Beach City if she looked almost entirely green!"

"Not to mention her head, it was shaped like a triangle..."

It was only after that sentence that they walked far enough away so they could no longer be heard, but Connie had gathered enough information.

Green? Triangle? Not from around here?

All of those things matched the description Steven had given her that one time about the gem that gave him that black eye. Or at least, one of them. And seeing how they just described the mystery identity as "her", as well as saying she wasn't from around here...

Could it have been _that_ gem?

Connie knew she was jumping to wild conclusions, but her suspicion level was definitely higher than it normally would have been. After all, the Crystal Gems had essentially pulled a vanishing act in the past few days, so it was beginning to feel like anything could happen around here. For all she knew, though, it could've just been some random person who liked the color green.

Or not.

Whoever this mystery person/gem was, she was probably long gone by now. Still, it wouldn't hurt to investigate at least a little. Although she had no idea where to begin. And besides, it was getting late. There was always tomorrow.

"And who knows, maybe Steven will be back or something."

* * *

 **And that's it for now.**

 **Well, that little sequence with Peridot was completely insane, but that was kinda what I was aiming for, so... mission accomplished, lol.**

 **I'm not sure there's ever been a grocery story shown in Beach City in the TV show, so I had to include one to make the story move along. It's pretty hard to survive for a long period of time with only thirteen donuts, after all.**

 **Okay, that's about all I've got. I'll see you all next time.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Welcome, and welcome back to Don't Even Bother. (Two welcomes, I'm on a roll. Wait, make it three.)**

 **A while back, I said that chapter six was the hardest I've written. That record has been obliterated. It doesn't help that school's been more busy than it usually is this past week or so, but it's fine. The chapters will keep on chuggin', even if it takes just a little longer sometimes.**

 **And yes, I did see When It Rains. In my opinion, it didn't have quite the same impact as Catch and Release, but still a great episode nevertheless. I won't spoil it if you haven't seen it yet.**

 **Well then, there's my two cents. On with the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

* * *

"I wish he'd hurry up already..."

Peridot leaned against the side wall of the grocery store, glancing around to check if anyone was nearby. As usual, nobody was. Such had been the trend for the past thirty minutes or so she had spent standing out in the cold... even though temperature barely affected her.

"Why wouldn't he let me come in with him? It's not like I would attract TOO much attention." Peridot mumbled to herself. Deep down, however, she knew that was a lie. For one thing, she was green. Other humans were not green. "Besides, I would at least like to see what..."

"Peridot!"

Peridot's mumbling was interrupted by a familiar voice calling her name in the distance, although she couldn't see him now that night had fallen. A few echoed footsteps later, however, and Steven was revealed for the first time.

"Hey, I got everything. You ready to go?"

"Yes, Steven, I've been ready for quite some time now. I wish you could've at least let me see the interior of the structure, though. It looks fascinating."

Although it was hard to see, Peridot was still able to tell a smile appeared on his face. "Yeah, um, sorry about that. I was nervous a bunch of people would freak out or something... but hey, it's not like I'm leaving or anything!"

Peridot nodded. "I suppose you're right, so let's just... "

She froze.

It almost felt like an instinctive reaction, but Peridot suddenly felt a rising sense of fear close in all around her, one that was impossible to shake. And it wasn't because of anything happening on the outside.

It was because of what Steven said.

 _"Leave..."_

Part of her tried to convince herself that she was being completely ridiculous, that her mind was coming up with absurd theories for no reason. After all, Steven was only joking when he mentioned leaving, and it's not like he gave any signs the past couple days he had any intention of doing so.

But what if he did?

Wasn't Steven on the run from the Crystal Gems? And they were based right here in Beach City. AND because of the city's proximity to the Kindergarten, it was the only place where he could stock up on supplies that was anywhere near their hiding place. There was just one little problem, however: _because_ it was the only place nearby, the only way to continually resupply was to frequently return to Beach City, which was almost like a coin flip in terms of remaining hidden from the Crystal Gems (and anyone else he said he knew around here). It only took one lucky fluke, a crazy coincidence to be sighted. And caught.

But the other possibility was the one she feared far more.

Peridot and Steven had only been... friends for the past few days. But what if he decided one day that it was more trouble than it was worth? After all, he could probably fit in in some other human community, and he would probably be safer because he would be further from the Crystal Gems' base of operations.

It was bad enough waiting for him outside the grocery store; she wanted to make sure he was safe. If he were to leave and not come back...

"... go back to the Kindergarten."

Steven gave her a questioning look. "Um... are you okay? You kinda just, well, _spaced_ out there for a moment." Try as he might, he couldn't help himself from laughing at his own terrible pun. Peridot paid no heed; she had far too much on her mind.

"I'm fine. Let's just... let's just go."

Steven laughter almost immediately stopped, as he once again felt a twinge of concern. Her answer didn't exactly sound sincere. "Uh, okay then. C'mon."

As he began to lead the way, Peridot followed behind him, slowly. As hard as she tried to get it out of her mind, her paranoia absolutely refused to let her focus on anything else.

 _"Please don't leave, Steven..."_

* * *

As a pair of headlights broke through the darkness just outside the temple, the hum of an engine slowly died down as the vehicle it powered came to a stop on the beach just in front of the structure. And although he didn't say anything the entire trip back, Greg released a sigh as he removed the keys from the ignition. "Okay, last stop! Everyone out."

Sapphire didn't move; she appeared to be deep in thought about something. Due to the lack of any noise from the roof of the vehicle, Greg also assumed that Ruby was also content to not move a muscle. The silence was finally penetrated, however, by Amethyst sighing as well as she got up from her seat in the back.

"Hey, aren't you going to drive this back to the car wash?" she asked Greg as she opened the door to exit the van.

"No, I'll just leave it parked out here. We have to get back at it tomorrow, but I think we all need a little rest tonight."

As much as she didn't want to admit it, Amethyst knew he was right. She and the other gems had been searching for Steven nonstop for days; even though they didn't need to sleep, that didn't mean they didn't suffer from fatigue. Perhaps a little break was what everyone needed.

As she shut the door to the van and looked up at the house, the Earth born gem noticed that the lights were turned on. The only explanation was that it was Pearl, but what was she doing back here in the first place? Wasn't she still in town, looking for Steven? Why else would Greg have left without all four of them?

No, something else was up.

With curiosity taking an iron grip, Amethyst walked up the steps and into the house. When she opened the door, she was met with a rather unusual sight; there, on the couch, was Pearl, taking a... nap? Whatever it was, it was causing her gem to project something, although the picture didn't really appear to be anything comprehensible.

"Pearl!"

Pearl immediately shot awake at the statement of her name, even going so far as to take on a combat stance (minus the spear). She relaxed just as quickly, though, when she realized it was just Amethyst.

"Oh, Amethyst. What are you doing here?"

Amethyst squinted at her, as if she was asking her the same thing. "We were just... look, we're all exhausted. I mean, you were just sleeping, and you never sleep. We're going to take a night to crash, and we'll get back at it tomorrow." She decided to leave out the fact that Garnet had split into Ruby and Sapphire for now.

Pearl shook her head. "You know we can't do that. We're more likely to catch him at night, seeing how he absolutely needs to sleep. Let's get back out there."

Now it was Amethyst's turn to shake her head. "P, you know we all need a break. C'mon, it's just for a few hours, tops. We always have tomorrow."

Pearl's fist tightened.

"Amethyst, what if we don't 'always have tomorrow?' For all we know, he could be out getting himself... who knows where he is right now? But you know as well as I do that we can't waste a minute!"

Amethyst pursed her lips; she could already tell this conversation was heading south very quickly. Still, as much as she wanted to prevent yet another conflict, she needed to stick up for what she knew was the right thing to do. "Pearl, look at yourself. We want to find him just as much as you, but you're a wreck right now. We all are! Trying to find him when we're all cranky and exhausted won't help the search!"

"So you're suggesting we just throw away valuable time?"

"Taking a few hours to rest so we're all refreshed and ready to go is not throwing away time!"

"We can't waste a SECOND!"

"We're not WASTING a second, we're stopping for a little because we HAVE TO! If you'd just think for a minute, maybe for the first time since you made Steven run away..."

Pearl's eyes widened. Amethyst immediately regretted what she just said.

 _"Uh oh."_

"You... you think..."

Amethyst's mouth went dry as she desperately thought of a contradiction to her statement in her mind, followed by jumbled attempts to physically say it. "Pearl, I..."

Pearl felt the makings of yet more tears form in her eyes. Still, she completely disregarded whatever Amethyst was about to say.

She was too upset.

"You think I don't know that I caused all this?"

* * *

"Ruby, you know we need to go in there eventually."

Ruby continued to stare at the stars from the roof of the van as she tried to ignore what Sapphire was telling her, even though she knew she was right. It was growing increasingly difficult.

"Ruby."

That was it.

"I KNOW WE NEED TO GO INSIDE! But... if _she's_ here at the house too, I'm not going in there!"

Sapphire sighed. "I can't confirm it, but for all we know, she may be in her room. I don't wish to speak to Pearl either, but you know you have to get off the roof of Greg's van eventually."

"Oh yeah? Why?"

"Look under your right foot."

Ruby moved her right foot, which has been pressed flat against the ceiling of the vehicle. A clean hole had been burned through the metal, exposing the interior of the van through the tiny opening.

She said nothing as she jumped down from the roof.

"Thank you. Now come on, Amethyst is already inside," said Sapphire as she turned around to begin the ascent up the stairs.

"You go first. If Pearl's up there, you can be the one to face her."

Sapphire sighed again. _"So this is how it has to be... at least I stopped her from destroying the van."_

As she began to climb the stairs, however, she stopped. It was faint, but it sounded like... yelling? Coming from the inside of the house?

Nothing in her future vision looked like this, not even Pearl's. Just like Amethyst before her, the curiosity proved to be too much as Sapphire continued up the stairs again, although she made a conscious effort to stay hidden. If there was some kind of argument going on, she wanted to at least hear what it was about before deciding what to do next.

As soon as she got within reasonable earshot, however, she held her breath. It wasn't a back and forth argument at all.

It was only Pearl.

"... KNOW THAT'S THE REASON HE'S GONE? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW I'VE BEEN..." Pearl's frantic yelling was interrupted from what sounded like intense crying. Whatever Amethyst was doing in there, she didn't say anything. Like Sapphire, she was probably too surprised.

Pearl took a deep breath and continued. "AND I KNOW IT'S MY FAULT! I KNOW I'M THE ONLY ONE TO BLAME WHY HE'S GONE, BECAUSE OF MY MISTAKE! AND NO MATTER WHAT I DO TO FIX IT, IT WON'T BE ENOUGH! AND IT'LL NEVER _BE_ ENOUGH!"

* * *

Pearl looked at Amethyst for a second, her vision blurry. And then, without another word, she turned around and walked into her room.

Amethyst was completely speechless. In the hundreds of years she had known her, she had _never_ seen Pearl so... broken. After all, she was always the wise one, the thinker of the team. Sometimes, it seemed she was even more of a leader than Garnet (although she would never admit that out loud in front of her). And yet, here she was. A mess.

And it was because of guilt.

For the past month, both Garnet and Pearl had done a remarkable job at hiding their true emotions - she would be lying if she said she had an idea what had been really going on their heads. Still, they had both finally acknowledged their flaws for the first time, with Pearl's outburst, and Garnet splitting into Ruby and Sapphire.

Ruby and Sapphire.

 _"You know, if they were here... then maybe they'd see that Pearl really is sorry..."_

* * *

Ruby paced in frantic circles on the beach as far as away from the house as possible, desperately trying to stop herself from thinking about what was happening up the hill. Still, it didn't take too long before she found herself asking questions. Shouldn't Sapphire have been back to tell her that the coast was clear? What was going on?

Although she really didn't want to, Ruby knew she didn't have a choice. Whether Pearl was up there or not, she had to go see what was going on.

With a huff, she trekked over to the foot of the stairs to head up to the front porch. What she saw, however, was a bit of a surprise: there, sitting in the middle of the staircase, was Sapphire. If she noticed Ruby's arrival, she didn't say anything about it.

"... Sapphire?"

Sapphire's head immediately snapped in Ruby's direction; the red gem felt her breath taken away when she noticed her eye was visible.

"It's... it's our fault..."

Ruby didn't understand what she meant. "What? What's our fault?"

"Steven..."

"Wh-what about Steven? Has he been found? Is he alright?!" asked Ruby with increasing panic.

The red gem felt a sudden chill as Sapphire's gaze turned to face her directly. "Ruby... did we ever stop and think... what we've been doing to everyone?"

Try as she might, Ruby couldn't connect in her mind anything Sapphire was telling her, and her patience had all but run out. "Sapphire, enough of the this. What happened?"

Sapphire took a deep breath. "I... I just overheard Pearl."

Ruby immediately frowned. "What, was she..."

"Ruby!..." said Sapphire in a more aggressive tone than she intended; it was an extremely rare (albeit brief) show of anger from her. Nevertheless, another deep breath appeared to be enough to calm things down again. "No, Ruby, she was not obsessing over how we're wrong and she's right. In fact, it was just the opposite."

Now Ruby was downright curious; what could she have been going on about, then? "... What did she say?

"Have you ever seen Pearl cry? Uncontrollably?"

Whatever response she had been expecting, it wasn't that. What point was Sapphire trying to make here? "Um... yeah, don't you remember when Rose... what are you getting at?"

"I just heard her a few minutes ago... she was hysterical over how she knows it's her fault."

Ruby already knew what "it" was. Sapphire wasn't done.

"But there was more. She said... Ste..."

A single cold tear fell from her eye. Ruby held her breath.

"Sapphire?"

It didn't stop there. Like raindrops sliding down a window, the sobs from Sapphire continued, one tear after another. It broke Ruby's heart.

Without a word, the red gem sat down next to Sapphire and hugged her tightly. As much as she wanted to ask what could've possibly caused this, it was clear that no answer would be coming until she was ready. It didn't take very long.

"Ruby... how... how c-could we? Did we ever stop to think for a second w-what we were DOING to him?" she said in between forced breaths from crying, her voice muffled by Ruby's shoulder.

"Sapphire, we didn't..."

"How did we... how did I n-not see it? How did I not know that all this time, S-Steven was suffering because we wouldn't forgive Pearl? We DROVE HIM AWAY, b-because I wanted to hold a grudge..."

Everything suddenly made sense to Ruby. From what Sapphire was saying, Steven left... because of their complete refusal to end this feud with Pearl. But Steven didn't just leave; in his mind, he was escaping from what must have felt like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. He was escaping from them.

It wasn't Pearl's fault Steven ran away. Well... yes it was. But it was their fault as well. Sapphire was right; why did they not see this? Why were they so blind that they didn't see the signs that Steven was so bothered by their disagreement?

But on that note, why was Sapphire blaming herself? How could she?

"Sapphire... no, it's... it's my fault, not yours! You've wanted to end this for a while now, I just wanted to blame her for everything! This is all because of me!"

"But I'm supposed to be... how could I have not seen it! I should've known this was coming, but we didn't do anything about it..."

"No, I was stopping you! You've... you've been right all this time. We need to..."

Just then, Ruby was interrupted by the door to the house swinging open. As soon as she stepped outside, Amethyst's attention turned to the two gems on the staircase.

"I thought I heard you guys out here. Did you... did you see what just happened?" she said.

Sapphire sniffed and nodded her head.

Amethyst silently gasped a little when she saw the blue gem. Sapphire was crying? Amethyst could NEVER remember her doing so. If she really did overhear Pearl like she said, she must have really been affected by it... and for that matter, even Ruby seemed different. Different from the steely, non-negotiable personality she had just a few hours before.

And speaking of Ruby, she had to know.

"Amethyst... please explain."

It suddenly dawned on her. She knew she was being selfish by essentially ignoring Sapphire in what she was going to say next, but it was now or never.

"Ruby... Pearl's sorry. She really, really, really is. Not even a few minutes ago, she was crying her eyes out over her and Garnet fighting, and I know it's not the only time she's done so. And I also know she's regretted this feud every second since it began."

She took a deep breath. What she said next would mean everything.

"So please... please just forgive her."

Amethyst was furious with herself.

 _"'Just forgive her?' What the heck was that, that was PATHETIC! Now she..."_

"I know..."

Amethyst gasped again. Everyone heard it this time.

Sapphire sniffed again, wiping a tear away. "... Ruby?"

"Sapphire... I... no, WE'VE been holding this grudge for all this time, and causing all of this, the team falling apart... because we wouldn't forgive Pearl. Because I wouldn't forgive Pearl."

"But..." trailed Sapphire.

Ruby spoke in a whisper. "If she's really sorry..."

Her heart lifted higher than the clouds when she saw Sapphire smile. "Can we...?"

Amethyst's mind raced. _"Please, just end this fight... between yourselves, and Pearl..."_

Both of them spoke simultaneously.

"For Steven."

Without another sound, Ruby grabbed Sapphire's hand. Nothing needed to be said. With perfect synchronization, both gems leaned in...

For the second time in the past twenty four hours, a bright light engulfed the two of them. When it once again faded, the two of them weren't there anymore.

There was only one.

"... Garnet?"

Garnet looked at Amethyst. She wasn't wearing her shades.

"And for the Crystal Gems."

* * *

"And this bag right here contains potato chips! You should try them sometime, they're great."

Peridot didn't say anything in response to the boy's enthusiasm as she continued to stare straight ahead at the wall in the underground chamber. She wasn't in the mood to appreciate his happy attitude; she was still bummed out over what came to her mind earlier.

A rather awkward silence followed. Steven wasn't exactly sure why Peridot wasn't as receptive as she usually was; she was almost always brimming with questions regarding things on Earth. Why was she so quiet all of a sudden?

 _"Eh. Her loss."_

Steven opened the bag of chips and promptly ate a few, relishing the taste. Just as he was about to reach for more, he looked over at Peridot, who was still staring at the exact same spot she had been just a moment before.

 _"Why not?"_

"Peeeeeeridooooooot..." said Steven in the most enticing voice he could manage. "You wanna try a chip? Although it's almost impossible to have just one."

Once again, Steven received no reply. Unlike last time, however, his impatience got the better of him. With a sense of resolution, he stood up from where he was sitting and walked over to Peridot, offering her the bag. "C'mon, just one, please? I'm sure you'll like it."

For the first time since he began explaining the food he purchased from the store, Peridot turned her head to look at Steven, an angry expression on her face. "Steven, I don't want any, and that's final!"

And with that, she turned around.

Steven, on the other hand, felt a rising sense of worry. It was extremely unusual for her to act like this. What could've happened to her? The only time she wasn't nearby was when he was in the grocery store...

Steven set the bag down and walked in front of Peridot again to face her. He sat down.

"Peridot."

Peridot gave another frustrated look. "I already told you, I... "

"You're not 'fine', like you said you were earlier. What happened while I was in the store?"

Her expression immediately softened. She felt her lip tremble.

"Steven..."

Steven could tell she was about to cry. He needed to know what was making her so upset. Now. "Peridot. Please, tell me what's wrong."

Peridot had to take a moment before she could find it in her. Finally, after a deep breath, she opened her mouth to speak again.

"Are you... are you going to leave?"

Steven squinted his eyebrows. "What, to go get more supplies? Not for a while, now that we..."

"No, I mean... I mean for good."

Steven's eyes went wide. This was the reason she was so quiet all of a sudden, why she seemed so worried ? That he was going to just pack up and run away again, except from her this time?

Fat chance.

Steven scooched next to the green gem. And just like on the train, he did what he felt was right.

He hugged her.

"Of course not. Why would I?"

Peridot felt her anxiety wash away in an instant. It was truly amazing how Steven could raise her spirits so much, so quickly. And now it was her turn to do what she did on the train. Again.

She hugged him back.

"... Thank you, Steven."

Steven smiled. "No problem," he said as he broke off the embrace.

A few seconds of silence followed before Steven spoke again. "We've been hugging a lot today, you know? It must be, like, a record or something!"

Peridot gave a small laugh. "Is there a problem with that?"

Steven's smile didn't fade an inch.

"Not at all."

* * *

 **"Who put a hole in my van?" I wanted to include Greg saying this line in the chapter, but it just didn't fit. So, I'm putting it here instead. Cool.**

 **FINALLY, I can stop depicting Garnet as some heartless monster, as we all know that isn't the case. While we're on that topic, I tried to make the scene where Ruby and Sapphire fused again different from what we saw in Jailbreak and Keystone Motel, which is why it's a little calmer than in the episodes I just mentioned.**

 **Changing the subject a little bit, I also had Peridot feeling insecure about Steven leaving on my bucket list of ideas for this story, and I'm glad I was able to include it. I just hope it doesn't seem a little out of place.**

 **Well, that's it for this chapter. As always, I hope you liked it.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey there, and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **I've got nothing to say up here. The age old problem continues, lol. On with the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

* * *

"I seriously doubt he'd try to hide from us over there."

Garnet and Amethyst each sat in a different chair around the coffee table, a map of Beach City and other nearby towns spread out on the surface. Throughout the night, they had tried to form a new strategy to find Steven, one that was more efficient than the repetitive and time consuming "search everywhere" plan they had been using up until that point. They weren't having a lot of luck.

"I don't think he would be there either, but he's had several days to be on the move. He could easily be in any of these towns by now."

Amethyst sighed. "I wish we had even a single clue on where he went... are you POSITIVE nobody in Beach City saw him?"

Garnet nodded her head. "The chance he would allow that to happen is exceedingly small, and it would be an unnecessary waste of time to go around asking. We'll have to find a trail ourselves."

Amethyst rolled her eyes. Garnet always was the bearer of bad news.

But at least she was talking now.

When Ruby and Sapphire reformed into Garnet after they made up on the staircase, Amethyst could still remember the sense of elation she felt as if it happened seconds ago (even if it was just a few hours in reality). After all, the only reason they would do so would be if they were ready to forgive both each other and Pearl. Right?

Not exactly.

Amethyst knew that this whole feud wasn't over, not by a long shot. Ruby and Sapphire may have been willing to let go of their grudge, but Garnet was a different matter. Ultimately, while she was both the symbol of Ruby and Sapphire's relationship and an experience, she was still different, an individual. She did seem more open now than she had been not even a day ago, but it wasn't like she was suddenly willing to forgive and forget everything that's happened.

No, the actual forgiving part would still be a bit of a challenge. But why not get started?

"Hey, Garnet..."

Garnet looked up from the map to the purple gem. "Yes?"

"Um... are you going to go talk to Pearl?"

Garnet's expression didn't move. This was at least a start compared to before, as she would always frown every time the other gem's name was mentioned in the past month. "If she has something to say, I'll listen."

Amethyst felt her lips curl into a small smile, although she resisted showing it. Even something as simple as that was an enormous improvement from where they stood a little while ago, with the cold silence constantly looming overhead. Despite all that, though, there was still one last roadblock:

Garnet was willing to listen, but would Pearl be willing to talk?

* * *

"Now let's see, they walked down this way, so they probably started along..."

Connie sat on the same bench she sat on last evening, looking at the the water the same way she had last evening. Unlike last evening, however, she wasn't brooding over how everything was wrong. She was trying to gather information.

Because she didn't regularly visit the various stores and such in Beach City, she didn't have a general clue where those two teenagers she overheard came from. In spite of that, by retracting their footsteps (at least, the footsteps she knew they took), she hoped to get an idea where they originally came from, and thus get an idea where they saw this mysterious green triangle person. Or gem.

Without a word, she stood up and followed the exact path those two yesterday to the best of her memory. Unfortunately, because they only came within her eyesight while she was on the beach, she didn't get very far, coming to a stop after a few minutes of walking.

"Ugh! Why does this place have to be so... darn it!" grunted Connie in resignation. She knew it was unlikely she would find anything of importance through something so simple as retracing steps, but she at least hoped for any kind of clue.

With a sigh, she turned around to head into the center of the city when she stopped cold.

There she was.

In the window of what appeared to be a donut shop, the very same girl she saw yesterday was standing at the counter, a bored look in her eyes. The other one, the boy didn't seem to be around, but that wasn't important.

Whoever it was they saw, it was here.

As much as she wanted to, Connie knew she couldn't just walk in there and ask about what it was that they saw yesterday; there was no way to say it without looking suspicious. But if she was extraordinarily lucky, the mystery identity just might come back.

Another bench was nearby, right next to the building. It seemed like there were a lot of those around.

She sat down and waited.

* * *

Pearl clenched her fist around her spear, her eyes closed. She needed something, anything to hold onto. Try as she might, the conversation she had with Amethyst just wouldn't leave her head, and it wasn't even the topic they were talking about that bothered her the most, it was what she specifically said.

"Maybe for the first time since you made Steven run away..." she quietly mumbled.

Pearl knew Amethyst was right. She knew that she was responsible; she was the one who manipulated Garnet to form Sardonyx, not the other way around. And to make matters even worse, she knew she was the one who magnified the problem by her hesitation to apologize. And her hesitation did not come from a belief that she was right, but instead from fear. Fear of what Garnet would do, fear that it would only make things worse.

No more.

Pearl slowly stood up from the water spout she had been sitting on, dissipating her spear in the process. It was difficult to explain, but she suddenly felt overwhelmed by a sense of... determination? Anxiety? Whatever it was, she couldn't take it gnawing away at her anymore.

The fight with Amethyst was the last straw. There wasn't a point anymore in being scared things would get worse if she tried to say sorry; things couldn't _get_ any worse. Above all, she knew she wasn't as strong as Garnet. She knew that she started the fight. And she knew that it was her fault that Steven ran away from them.

But she was going to make sure Garnet knew it as well. No matter what her reaction would be.

And if the last month set any sort of precedent, she probably wouldn't react at all.

* * *

 _"Man, when's she going to make up her mind?"_

Despite her best attempts to ward it off, Amethyst could feel drowsiness slowly overtaking her. It wasn't her fault; Garnet had been studying that map for more than an hour, all without a word. She was probably planning some all encompassing search that would take days, if not weeks.

 _"At least she's being thorough. But she probably won't be done for awhile."_

With that last thought, the purple gem leaned back in the couch and tilted her head back, closing her eyes in the process. She may as well take a small nap before they went out to search some more. After all, the reason they came back to the house in the first place was to rest, but that didn't exactly happen with the whole Pearl argument thing.

The door opened.

Amethyst's eyes shot open at the sound of the entrance to the temple being activated. There was only one person it could possibly be.

Sure enough, no sooner had the thought crossed her mind than Pearl stepped out of her room. She didn't even bother to look at Garnet, and vice versa.

"Amethyst, I need to speak to Ga—"

Pearl voice died in her throat when she saw that the gem she was looking for was sitting just a few feet away. And at the mention of her name, she turned around to look right at her. Her shades made it impossible to see her eyes.

Amethyst suddenly felt a rush of hope. Why would Pearl request to see Garnet? Wasn't she trying to _avoid_ her? Unless...

"Uh... she's right here! I'll... I'll leave you two to talk," said Amethyst as she stood up from the couch. And with that, she walked right out the front door.

Pearl bit her lip.

It was one thing to imagine herself bravely walking up to Garnet and apologizing, but it was quite another to actually do it. Especially considering the gem she was trying to talk to didn't seem particularly happy.

"Um... hello, Garnet."

"Hello, Pearl."

Pearl held her breath. Garnet actually said something to her? Even if it was just replying to a greeting, it still felt like the first time in weeks, aside from being given an occasional order on where to look for Steven.

It was a start. Now to finish.

"Garnet, I... um..."

She lowered her head and sighed. She couldn't even make eye contact. Or at least, eye contact with her shades.

"I'm... I'm sorry."

* * *

"I'm... I'm sorry."

Garnet's expression didn't move. Her mind was in overdrive.

 _"Took her long enough."_

Garnet knew that feeling was coming from Ruby, but she agreed with it. Their now apparently one-sided feud had dragged on for this long, and she was only just now saying sorry? Sure, she also said it at the communications hub when all of this began, but it was rushed, a spur of the moment kind of thing. She probably didn't really mean it then. Probably.

 _"It's our fault too, you know."_

Sapphire. Although it was a completely different viewpoint compared to Ruby's, Garnet found herself agreeing with her as well. Pearl needed to admit her sorrow, that much was obvious. But at the same time, were they really giving her an opportunity to do so? It was just one of several drawback that came from going down the cold shoulder route.

With everything taken into account, the fused gem pondered her options. Part of her immediately wanted to forgive her, but part of her also wanted to fire back with some snide comment, as if she didn't believe she actually meant it.

Garnet knew that wasn't true.

Pearl didn't admit her mistakes often, and she didn't completely lose it often, either. In the past twelve hours or so, Sapphire witnessed both, and simultaneously at that. The only reason she would do so would be if she meant she was sorry. If she _really_ meant she was sorry.

 _"You know she's honest about it, Ruby."_

 _"... I know. But let me ask her something, first."_

Garnet stood up. "Pearl, why are you sorry?"

Pearl, while still feeling a very small rush of euphoria over Garnet speaking to her again, didn't understand what she was getting at. "What do you mean?"

"Are you sorry because of what you did? Because Steven ran away? Because you got caught? What is it?"

Pearl immediately knew what she _wanted_ to say, but once again, putting it into practice was a different story. There were many different roads she could travel down, but which one was the right one?

I'm sorry because..."

Pearl sighed.

"I'm sorry because I know it's my fault. I fixed the hub, and I tricked you. And I also know I'm the reason why Steven ran away, but—"

"Pearl." She stopped dead in her tracks.

"What you did was wrong. Fusion is _sacred._ How could you even think of doing what happened at the hub?"

Pearl shuddered. What she said here would make or break all the progress they've made. She took a deep breath.

"I-I wanted to be stronger."

Garnet shook her head. "That's not—"

"I wanted to be stronger because of you! Look at yourself, Garnet! You're so... you're so much better than _all_ of us! And what am I?"

Garnet stopped whatever she planned to say.

"We all want to be stronger, Garnet. When I formed Sardonyx with you, I felt stronger. And I wanted to feel it again. But look where it's gotten us... and now Steven's missing," she said without missing a beat.

"All of us are at fault for that."

"No, Garnet, it isn't our fault. It's MY fault! If I had any... if I truly was strong, I would've come to you like this the day after what happened, and yes, I've regretted what I did every second since it happened. But I couldn't. And then Steven..."

Pearl couldn't find it in her to say anymore. Luckily for her, she didn't need to. Garnet had already made up her mind.

The fused gem knew she was sorry. Pearl's actions over the past twelve or so hours were more than enough proof, from the way she was apologizing to the particularly frantic argument she had with Amethyst just a little while ago. An argument Garnet decided to bring up.

"Pearl... we heard you talking to Amethyst a few hours ago."

Pearl squinted her eyebrows. "We?"

Garnet nodded her head. Pearl didn't yet know she had unfused; she didn't yet know that the leader of the Crystal Gems wasn't quite as powerful as she believed. "Ruby and Sapphire heard you. Well, Sapphire did."

"But why would you unf—"

"I'm not perfect, Pearl!" yelled Garnet. It surprised both herself and the gem she was talking to. Nevertheless, she continued. "I have flaws too. They split because they were divided over what they thought. About our feud."

Pearl held her breath again.

"Ruby didn't want to forgive you because she thought you weren't even sorry," she said while opening her left hand, "and Sapphire only wanted to forgive you so we could concentrate on finding Steven," she said while opening her right hand. "I'm not perfect. I have weaknesses too."

Garnet paused for a moment. "But that was in the past, and they've both changed. I'm not going to forgive you so we can find Steven and then go right back to the way we were."

Pearl's spirits sank like a stone.

"I'm going to forgive you because you're sorry."

 _"I knew it, she still—what?"_

Garnet removed her shades. "Pearl, like I just said, I can see you're sorry, and so can Ruby and Sapphire. Even if you didn't say it until now, you gave off signs, and I should've been willing to forgive you sooner. I... no, we wanted to prolong it, while you wanted to end it. It's just as much my fault for being so closed off, for discouraging you from trying to talk to me the way you just did. I told you - I'm not perfect."

Pearl felt a tear threatening to escape her eye.

"And besides, Steven won't want to come back if we aren't the Crystal Gems anymore."

That was it.

As soon as the words left Garnet's mouth, Pearl ran the few steps it took to reach her and grabbed her in a tight hug, the tears openly flowing. Garnet reciprocated the embrace. It was time to put the past behind them.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," mumbled Pearl, over and over again.

"I know you are, Pearl."

After a few minutes, Pearl's crying finally slowed to the point where she would be able to speak coherent sentences again. "It'll-it'll never happen again. I promise."

"I have no doubt."

Pearl finally let go of Garnet and stood in front of her. "Um... Garnet?"

"Yes?"

Pearl looked at the ground and shuffled her feet. "Can we go look... you know what? Let's focus on finding Steven."

Garnet nodded her head and smiled.

"An excellent idea. Let's."

* * *

Peridot eyes slowly opened, the roof of Prime Kindergarten Control Room coming into focus. By now, the underground chamber was so familiar to her that she didn't even need to look at the ceiling to describe exactly what it looked like, but whatever. Besides, she was still getting a bearing on her surroundings. That feeling you get, the one that makes you want to fall back asleep immediately after waking up was a bit of a hassle, she had to admit.

As silently as she could, Peridot opened her finger screen and checked what the time was relative to their location on Earth; Peridot had to confess it was a very handy tool to plan the day's events ever since Steven described how the whole system works. The timer read 10:15 AM.

"Well, that's a little late to be waking up, at least according to Steven. Oh well."

Peridot knew she didn't mean to sleep in as much as she did, it just happened. She and Steven had spent several hours late into the night playing the various games he had brought with him in that wonderful "cheeseburger backpack", as he called it, so it was probably the fact that they went to sleep so late that made them wake up so late.

As soon as the name crossed her mind, a small smile appeared on her face. Peridot looked to her left at the form of the sleeping gem, and it seemed like he was having a nice enough time, thrashing around like that.

Wait. Thrashing? Upon further observation, that didn't look quite right.

A few frantic murmurs from the boy in his sleep confirmed to Peridot that something was very wrong with whatever "dream" he was experiencing. She needed to wake him up, and fast.

"Um, but how do I do that?" she said in a panicked tone as she furiously swiped through her finger screen for information on how to forcefully awaken someone from their sleep. There was no information available. After a few more seconds of searching, she removed the screen in front of her, let out a quick angry yell and turned her attention to Steven, who was now breathing far quicker than normal.

Thinking as fast as she could, Peridot grabbed Steven and began to shake him. She knew what she was doing was a desperate shot in the dark, but it also seemed like the logical thing to do; maybe something would go off in his sleep that would calm him down.

"Steven? STEVEN!"

Steven's eyes shot wide open at the shouting of his name. With a startled gasp, he was met with the face of Peridot staring down at him, her eyes wide and her breathing heavy as well.

She was surprised her plan worked.

"P-Peridot..."

Before she could say anything, the gem suddenly found herself in a tight embrace from Steven. She could feel him trembling as he latched on as tightly as he could. Without a sound yet with sympathetic thoughts, she returned the hug.

It took him a minute or two before he was able to compose himself enough to talk. "Peridot... I—"

"Steven, what was just happening?"

Steven took a deep breath. "I... I was having a nightmare."

Peridot racked her memory for what exactly that meant; she had never heard the term. "What's a nightmare?"

"A nightmare... well, you've had a dream before while you were sleeping, right? Just like I told you about?" he asked.

"Yes. Is a nightmare like a dream?"

Steven nodded. "Yeah, kinda. Except it's bad. Really bad. It makes you scared."

After a few more moments, Peridot and Steven finally let go of their hug, with the boy taking a seat in front of her. Because he didn't seem as shaken up as he had been a minute ago, she decided to press for further information. "Steven, what did this... 'nightmare' of yours contain?"

Steven thought hard to remember. Dreams are strange because they can be very easy to forget after you wake up, and such was the case with the young gem trying to recollect exactly what he had been so terrified about just a moment ago. No matter what, however, one detail still stuck out very clearly in his mind.

"Peridot, are you... are you going to leave _me?_ "

"Steven, what do you—"

"I mean, on Earth. Are you going to... go back to Homeworld?"

Peridot looked at the floor.

It didn't take long for the green gem to realize that her attempts to escape what she used to consider a prison had slowed to a crawl. All the time she had been spending with Steven pushed her attempts at returning to Homeworld to the back of her mind, as it wasn't like she had been having a lot of success trying to contact Yellow Diamond. But there was more than that.

She didn't know anything about Earth itself. She knew very little about life on Earth, and she knew very little about humans. But the things she had learned from Steven had a profound impact on her; she had grown attached to him, and the planet didn't really seem that bad at all. As long as he was around, being "stranded" wasn't exactly the worst problem to have.

What was he so worried about?

Peridot looked up again. "Steven, I have no way of contacting Homeworld. And..."

"... And?"

Peridot smiled. "And I can't say I really want to."

Steven mouth opened in a big smile as well. With stars in his eyes.

* * *

Amethyst walked down the sidewalk with her head down, kicking a pebble along. She didn't really have anything to do since she left the house, other than telling Greg not to drop by there (he had returned to the car wash), as Pearl and Garnet were hopefully ending their feud. He wholeheartedly agreed.

After a rather lengthy period of time, she eventually lost her general sense of location while walking to the point where she almost crashed right into a street light, forcing her to finally turn her attention away from the ground and the pebble she had been knocking along for almost ten minutes. As she looked up for the first time in a while, however, the purple gem was somewhat surprised to see Steven's friend Connie sitting on a bench next to the Big Donut. To the best of her memory, she didn't exactly live near Steven, so it was certainly out of the ordinary. What was she doing here? Had she visited the house in the past little while? She needed answers.

"Hi, Connie."

Connie turned her head and smiled a little bit. "Hello, Amethyst."

Amethyst thought carefully about what to say next. "Um... look, if you don't mind me asking, have you tried to visit Steven recently?" She wanted to make sure she didn't interrupt Pearl and Garnet's conversation.

Connie nodded her head. "Yeah, a couple days ago and yesterday. You guys weren't at the house either time. Where have you been?"

"We've been... away. Doing something important. But we're back for now," replied Amethyst. Connie's smile grew wider.

"Great! I guess that means Steven's back as well?"

Amethyst gulped; she had been put in a corner. Connie didn't yet know that Steven was missing, and she wasn't exactly eager to share the news at that given time. She hated to do it, but she had to lie. "Uh... not Steven. He had to stay behind for a little while. Don't worry, he's fine."

Connie squinted her eyebrows, as if she didn't believe her. "Um... okay. Anyways, I need you to help me."

The Earth born gem breathed a sigh of relief, as it appeared she was dropping what they were just talking about for now. Nevertheless, she was a bit confused at her question. "Help you? With what?"

"Yesterday evening, I overheard a conversation the two kids who work in this store were having. They talked about someone who's green, and has a head shaped like a triangle. Isn't that a gem you guys had a problem with earlier?"

Amethyst felt her fist subconsciously tighten. Peridot.

"Yeah, a while ago. But what about her?"

Connie looked around and lowered her voice. "They talked about how they saw her at this store. I've been waiting to see if she'll come back, but I doubt she will."

Amethyst processed this information carefully. According to what she was saying, Peridot was _here?_ In Beach City? And apparently buying donuts or something? It didn't make sense. Unless she took a liking to eating while she's been stranded here, there would be no reason for her to do so. But that wasn't even the most important part.

How many times had she been here, before Connie apparently heard about it? How did she get here in the first place? Did she use the warp pad _in the temple_ to bring herself here?

No. Peridot was smart. She wouldn't take a risk like that. The only way she'd be able to visit the Big Donut on a regular basis (assuming she did so) would be if she was stationed nearby.

It wouldn't help them find Steven. But finding Peridot would certainly be a morale booster.

"Connie, stay here and keep watch for as long as you can. If she comes back, let us know. I'm going to go talk to Garnet and Pearl about this."

 _"If they'll talk to each other again. I hope I'm not going back too early or something."_

* * *

 **"Wow!" I'm running out of things to say to stop the chapter.**

 **At last, Garnet and Pearl have forgiven each other. Strangely enough, I would say it was harder to write the scene where Ruby and Sapphire made up with each other compared to this one, but whatever. I just hope I did a good job with both of them.**

 **Since I had Peridot feeling insecure about Steven leaving, I felt it was right to flip it and have Steven feel the same way. Because of that, it would've made more sense to include this chapter's scene in the last one, but it also would've been too rushed. So... yeah.**

 **Oh, and I know I have Steven and Peridot hug a lot. It's adorable. The end.**

 **Okay, that's all, I guess. I'll see you all next time.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	14. Chapter 14

**How's everybody's weekend (or weekday, depending on when you're reading this) going, and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **The past week or so, I've repeatedly received a question from a guest reviewer asking about whether the Cluster will be in this story. I think this a good time to answer, so let me explain.**

 **The way I write stories is simple: I come up with a set idea for the plot, and I add all of the smaller things along the way, provided they fit with the original idea. I'm not a complete control freak that meticulously plans everything ahead of time (although that's not a bad way to write either, obviously). Since I began writing this story before episodes 70 and 71 aired, I clearly couldn't take the Cluster into account when I came up with the plot line for Don't Even Bother.**

 **So, to answer your question, will the Cluster appear in the story later? If I can fit it in with what I currently have in mind, sure, but we'll just have to wait and see. I've kinda relaxed my policy about not including canon events beyond Ep. 63 "Cry for Help", but I still won't do it if it doesn't make sense.**

 **Okay, hopefully that cleared up any confusion. On with the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

* * *

"Peridot?"

"Yes?"

"Are you sure you don't want to try one?"

As soon as the question left his mouth, Peridot inwardly shook her head at yet another attempt from Steven to force her to perform the act he liked to call "eating". He had explained it in great detail and even provided a few examples for her, but she had no desire to try it herself, as something about it was simply... unsettling. Besides, considering gems had no need for that kind of energy consumption (aside from him), it was a complete waste of time.

"No, Steven, I don't wish to try... what do you call it again?" she asked.

"It's called a donut. Do-nut. How could you forget, you bought them for me!" smiled Steven.

Once again, the stranded gem shook her head at his enthusiasm. Under normal circumstances, his happiness and endless energy would've be one of the many reasons she had such a special connection with him, but there would occasionally be times where the young gem would pour it on just a bit too much. Such was the case with him wanting her to try to eat one of those donuts, as constantly repeating herself was beginning to wear her patience thin.

"Excuse me for forgetting the name. There's been a lot on my mind recently," she nonchalantly replied. She wasn't kidding, either: between the ages long trip to Beach City (excluding the trip to the Big Donut, now that she was able to remember the name), the terrifying episode of Steven's nightmare, AND both of them professing their worries of the other leaving, there was certainly quite a bit to think about that's happened in the past twenty four hours or so. She was surprised how he was able to put everything behind him so fast.

It seemed he was very good at it.

"Aw, come on, that was a while ago! You sure you don't want to try it?"

Peridot placed her arm and fingers to her forehead. "Yes, Steven, I'm absolutely sure."

"Okaaaaaaay..." he said in the saddest voice he could pretend to manage as he walked a fair distance away from her. "Don't say I didn't offer it to you."

And with that, the donut was gone. It was almost in a flash, only requiring one or two bites for the human delicacy to disappear to wherever food went to after you finished it. Peridot had to confess it was rather impressive how quickly he completed his task.

"Mmm, that was DELICIOUS, Peri—aaaaahhhh..."

Peridot's amazement was suddenly interrupted by the strange noise the boy made as he slowly sank to his back from where he had been sitting, clutching his stomach in a manner remarkably similar to the time he ate those "candy bars". She felt her pupils dilate as her heart rate increased.

"Steven?!"

With concern immediately overtaking her, she quickly stood up and went to his side, frantically checking him over on the way for any physical signs of distress. Much to her relief, he had already sat up again by the time she got there. "I'm okay, just—too fast. Went down the wrong pipe."

Although she didn't understand the human expression, Peridot laughed lightly at his explanation. "Maybe you should slow down next time."

Steven also gave a small grin at her antics. "Hey, I can't help it! The Big Donut's donuts are just so... _wondrous_ _._ Even if they aren't freshly baked. Besides, I was hungry."

"Well, it seems like every time you eat, something bad happens to you. Maybe you should cut down on it?"

Steven shook his head at this impossible request. "I can't just 'cut down', Peridot. I have to eat! All of us humans have to!" he yelled in a harsher tone than he intended.

Peridot visibly winced at his angry exclamation. "I'm just trying to help," she sighed as she lowered her head to look at the floor, a frown slowly emerging and her eyebrows sagging. Steven immediately felt a twinge of regret; he didn't mean to make his friend feel bad.

"Peridot... I know you're just being careful. I'm sorry for yelling at you like that."

Just as quickly as it appeared, Peridot's gloomy expression gave way to a small smile as she once again turned her attention to the quartz gem. "Steven, I just want to make sure you're safe. You know that, right?"

Steven smiled as well as he nodded his head. "Yeah, I know. But, um... just so you can see there's not much to be afraid of, you really should try one of these donuts. They're great."

* * *

Amethyst didn't move.

For the past ten minutes, she had remained on the beach, gazing up with nervous eyes at the house she dreaded returning to. It almost felt like she was walking to her demise.

When she began the journey back to the house, she could still remember how confident she had been. Now that she was actually face-to-face with her destination, though, no matter how many times she tried to convince herself that everything was all right, that nothing bad happened between them, that Pearl and Garnet made up - it didn't matter. For all she knew, their attempt at working out a compromise may have instead dissolved into an irreparable hatred during the time she was gone.

The purple gem shook her head, the wind blowing through her hair as she blinked. _"It's now or never."_

Without a word or a sound, Amethyst slowly ascended up the hill to the foot of the staircase leading to the front porch. Even though she was the only one outside, the tension was easily as thick as any time she could remember in the past month.

It took nearly a minute for her to make the trip up to the front porch. Although she didn't mean to, she focused to hear for any angry shouting from the inside of the house, an argument. Nothing.

She wasn't reassured.

Even though the blinds weren't down in the windows on the front of the house, she couldn't bring herself to walk over there and peek inside. Instead, she slowly made her way to the front entrance, her footsteps echoing louder to her than in reality. She felt her hand tremble as she reached for the handle.

With a sharp intake of breath, she opened the door.

* * *

"We haven't checked over there yet, Pearl."

"But even if he is in that area, how could he—"

Whatever thought Pearl was about to say was cut off by the front door opening, rather loudly at that. Both she and Garnet turned to look in response, although they already knew who it was.

"Hello, Amethyst," greeted the leader of the Crystal Gems.

For nearly a full minute, all three gems stood in the house, with nobody breaking the silence. Pearl and Garnet patiently waited for Amethyst to reply with something, anything, while the Earth born gem herself continued to be frozen by... apprehension? Panic?

Fear?

It took, relatively speaking, a significant amount of time to put her rush of emotions behind her. Finally, though, after what felt like an eternity, Amethyst slightly opened her mouth to speak for the first time since arriving. "G-Garnet... Pearl?"

The latter gem already knew what she was going to say. Without hesitation, Pearl stepped forward, a small smile appearing on her face as she walked to her friend and teammate.

"Amethyst, it's okay. We're okay."

* * *

"Amethyst, it's okay. We're okay."

For the second time in the past few minutes, said gem found herself unable to speak. Unlike the previous time, however, the reason for this extended silence was very different.

For the past month, every happy emotion that she had felt (even though they were very few and far between) meant nothing. It wasn't just because they were forgotten, it was because it impossible to truly feel anything but negative sentiment and sadness throughout the entire duration of this feud. It was a black cloud hanging over everything, and anything else was bottled up, to be stowed away and abandoned.

But in one fatal swoop, Pearl brought an end to all of it. And the bottle exploded.

Before she could even begin to institute any measure of control, Amethyst grabbed Pearl in a tight embrace, the floodgates opening. She felt herself smile as she desperately gasped to breathe through her intense crying.

With a very small sigh of contentment, Pearl returned the gesture as she wrapped her arms around the smaller gem, silently whispering "it's okay, it's okay" in her ear, over and over again. She wasn't even sure if she could hear her, but it wasn't that important. All that mattered was that they were all together again.

Together. They were all a group again. No more hatred. No more deception. They were all one.

As hard as she tried to put on a strong front, seeing Pearl and Amethyst react the way they did was the last straw. As she took off her shades and placed them on the coffee table, Garnet slowly walked to the two of them, a smile on her face as well.

After taking a minute to ponder what to do next, she slowly kneeled down and hugged the purple gem as well. As soon as she felt the additional contact, Amethyst responded by tightening her hug around the Crystal Gems.

And they were the Crystal Gems again. Minus one important member.

Hopefully not for much longer.

* * *

"DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!"

Without even a hint of hesitation or remorse, Peridot targeted the enemy aircraft with her lock-on photon beam, firing as soon as the green light on the dashboard indicated it was fully charged. Not even a second later, the opposing craft's shield gave way, completely obliterating the vessel. She laughed maniacally as the flaming wreckage plummeted out of the view of her own starship.

Steven, on the other hand, lightly shook his head at her furious display of emotion, although this one was thankfully more subdued than the previous few. Despite that, her unbridled rage had still only grown progressively worse in the past hour or so.

"Peridot, you do remember it's a video game, right?"

"Steven, don't talk to me right now! I must make sure ALL of these fools receive the same punishment as the last!" she yelled, her evil grin still glued to her face. It immediately morphed into a scowl, though, as another ship appeared on the horizon and apparently scored a direct hit.

"YOU DARE TO OPPOSE ME? FEEL MY WRATH!" screamed the gem as she mashed the buttons as fast and hard as she could. Steven looked to the ceiling.

"Why did I show her that app..." he mumbled to himself. He wanted to do something with her since she absolutely refused to try eating, but showing her the capabilities of his phone was quickly becoming a mistake he regretted more and more by the minute.

Thankfully, for a few merciful seconds after Peridot yelled her newest angry threat, the room fell completely silent aside from the sounds emitting from the game Peridot was so absorbed in. The stillness was punctured, however, by a strange noise coming from Steven's device. A notification.

The slouching gem suddenly felt himself frozen, completely paralyzed. Just like the time when the gem injector almost fell on them, time seemed to slow down.

"Steven? This annoying message is interfering with my conquest. How do I—"

"STOP!" yelled the boy as he immediately sprang to life, Peridot's question breaking him out of his trance. Without giving a second thought to what he was doing, he sprinted over and grabbed the phone from her surprised fingers, his eyes frantically scanning the screen to see what the message contained, and, more importantly, who it was from.

 _Battery Levels Low_

He gasped a sigh of relief. He didn't even know he had been holding his breath in up until that point.

Peridot, on the other hand, was rather upset at the thought of being torn away from that admittedly enjoyable human space combat simulator. It was ironic, considering they knew nothing about warfare in the stars, but it didn't change fact: it was a good "video game", as Steven called it, and now Steven was taking it away. Unacceptable.

"Hey! What's the big idea?"

Steven looked up from the screen over to the angry gem, only to realize he had taken the phone from her without her permission. Now that he was able to properly think without a big adrenaline rush interfering, it didn't seem like it was wasn't the smartest idea to grab it so forcefully. It probably caught her off guard, and she really did seem like she was enjoying that game, albeit loudly.

"Whoops, heh heh. Sorry, Peridot," he said as he handed the device back to the eager fingers of the stranded gem. Once she regained possession of the device, it only took her a few seconds to fire the ship back up again. No sooner did she do so than she looked up at the quartz gem and signaled with a few of her fingers for him to come near.

"Steven, you must assist me with annihilating our foes! If they are granted free passage through our star system, they will instead annihilate the planet I now consider home!" she yelled excitedly as she once again continued to mash the buttons on the screen. Steven sheepishly smiled as he took a seat next to her in response to her request, but he didn't say anything. The game wasn't what was on his mind.

Peridot thankfully didn't notice it, but Steven knew exactly why he was so on edge when his phone received a notification (he had kept the device off the entire time he had been with her up until he decided to introduce the concept of video games to her. Big mistake). He didn't want to make her worry, but he knew for certain which emotion just coursed through him. Fear.

Fear that it was someone saying they knew where he was. Fear that they would find him.

It could've been anyone, really. Connie. Dad. It couldn't have been the gems, since they obviously didn't have phones, but the possibilities were limitless. And even though he trusted Peridot a great deal, it wasn't yet the time to be diving deep into his past and explaining his relationship with everyone in great detail or something like that. Not until he was certain everyone was off his trail.

Thankfully, there was a solution.

"Um, Peridot? Could you stop the game for a minute?"

Peridot's face took on a look of sorrow as her finger reluctantly moved to the pause button. "Yes, Steven?" she impatiently sighed.

"May I see the phone again? I promise I'll give it right back." he asked.

After considering his question, she tightly shut her eyes as she thrusted the device in his hands. The desire to cause more virtual destruction as soon as possible was painfully evident in her response.

With a smile, Steven took the phone and opened the Settings tab after he had backed out of the space game. Once he was there, he did what he should've done from the very beginning.

He shut off notifications. Very simple, very effective. Even though he had been paranoid, the rational part of him doubted anyone would message him anyways. Huh. And now that the job was done, he pressed the home button to return to phone's main menu.

Before he could swipe to the next page of apps, the screen went black, with a small spinning disk appeared in the center a few seconds later. The sign of impending doom.

"Um, sorry Peridot, but the battery died."

"What do you mean? The battery of the atomic phaser?" she asked, her voice rushed and more enlivened than usual as she eagerly awaited the return of her bucket of fun.

"No, I mean the phone's battery died, and I can't charge it here in the Kindergarten, unless you have an electrical outlet around. Uh... sorry," he replied, his voice slowly softening as Peridot's eyes grew progressively larger. She burst.

"NOOOOOOOO!"

* * *

"Are you all right, Amethyst?"

"I'll be fine, Garnet."

After reaffirming the fused gem, Amethyst stifled a few sniffles as she sat slouched against the front door on the inside of the house, Pearl and Garnet both sitting directly opposite to her. The past few minutes had been absolutely exhausting, but she wasn't lying when she replied to the leader of the Crystal Gems; she would be fine. In fact, she would be better than she'd been in quite a while.

Under ordinary circumstances, Amethyst didn't like to show off her true emotions. For the most part, any negative or sad feelings she felt were largely buried under her fun-loving personality, as she hated appearing insecure around the others, especially Pearl. For this, however, she made an exception. All of her pent-up feelings were too overwhelming to not do so.

It was an exception she needed.

Garnet smiled and slowly stood up from the ground, offering the purple gem her hand to help her up as well. "Very good. But we still have work to do. Let's get to it." Not even a moment later, Pearl stood up and also offered also held out her hand, a small smile gracing her face as well.

Amethyst felt one of her signature goofy grins emerge as she accepted both offers. And once she was standing up once more, it didn't come without one more big simultaneous hug for the two of them.

"You guys are the best."

Pearl and Garnet's smiles didn't fade as they returned the gesture.

Finally, after nearly a full minute, all three gems broke off the group hug and quickly glanced at each other, each waiting for another to break the quiet. Garnet was the first to speak up.

"Amethyst, I'm glad you showed up when you did. Let me run you through what Pearl and I have been discussing."

Amethyst silently gasped as something clicked in her mind, reminding her of the reason why she had returned to the house in the first place. It had been lost amongst the chaos of a few minutes ago, but it thankfully didn't disappear from her memory for good. "Wait, guys, hold on. This is important."

Garnet cut off what she was about to say and crossed her arms. "We're listening."

"Okay, okay. Thank you. Anyways, I was just in town, and I noticed Connie sitting near the Big Donut, waiting for someone."

Pearl raised her eyebrows at this revelation. "Connie? Why would she be—" she put a hand to her mouth, the fingers on her other hand clutching the hem of her shirt. "Did she ask you about Steven?!"

Amethyst slowly shook her head. "Yeah... she did. I told her he wasn't around right now, that he'd be back soon. And he will be back soon."

Although it wasn't reassuring in the slightest to hear Amethyst confirming her fears, Pearl couldn't stop herself from slowly nodding her head as well as her hands dropped back to her sides. She was right. Steven would be back soon.

They would make sure of it.

Amethyst took a deep breath and moved her head side to side, cracking her neck. "As I was saying, she told me something... interesting. You know the two kids that work in the store?"

"The two teenagers Steven sometimes spends his time around?" asked Garnet.

"Yes, what are their names again... Lard and Shady?" added Pearl.

"You got it. Well... actually, I don't think that's quite what their names are. But in any event, Connie said she overheard them yesterday talking about someone that came in the store that day. Someone that looked ridiculous," replied Amethyst.

Pearl's lips slowly fell into a frown the further along Amethyst went in her explanation. "Amethyst, this isn't the time for..."

"Let me finish, P, I said it was important and I meant it. Apparently, they were making fun of this 'someone' because she looked green. And she had a head shaped like a triangle. Sound familiar?"

Pearl's frown remained frozen in place, while Garnet's face also fell into an angry expression. "Peridot."

"My exact reaction. In any event, I don't think Connie would tell a lie like that for no reason, so it's pretty likely Peridot really was at the Big Donut sometime yesterday."

Pearl put a hand to her chin. "But why? Gems don't need to eat, unless she learned to like it somehow. And why the Big Donut?"

Amethyst shook her head at Pearl's questions. "I think you're looking at it wrong. My question is, how did she get to the Big Donut at all? She could've used the warp pad here in the temple since it's close," she said as she pointed to said teleportation device behind them, "but Peridot's too smart to take a risk like that. She only would've be able to visit the store if she was nearby. AND if she's gone there more than once, she has to be _staying_ somewhere nearby."

Pearl blinked. Everything the other gem just said was absolutely correct, and she completely missed it. The feeling of being one-upped in what was supposed to be her specialty, thinking logically, wasn't a fun one.

Yep, the team was back.

"If she's somewhere around here, she can't possibly be in Beach City. We searched everywhere here for Steven, meaning we probably would've found her," piped in Garnet.

Amethyst nodded her head. "But if that's the case, then where is she?"

Pearl and Garnet looked at each other. As they made eye contact (or, in Pearl's case, eye contact with Garnet's silver sunglasses), they both stole the words right out of each other's mouths.

"The Kindergarten."

Amethyst furrowed her eyebrows. "But why would she be hiding there?" she asked. Try as she might, she couldn't understand how they both reached the same conclusion so quickly.

Garnet swiftly turned her head to face her again. "Think about it. It's a former gem site, so it's probably more familiar to her than anywhere else here on Earth. And it's also close enough to get to the Big Donut like you said, although it would still a rather lengthy walk. It makes sense."

Pearl picked up where Garnet left off. "In that case, we need to go look for her there, right now. As much as I would rather look for Steven, we can't just let Peridot run free if we have a clue on where she is."

Amethyst suddenly felt yet another smile form; a golden opportunity just emerged from what Pearl said. "Great idea! Pearl, Garnet, how about you two go look for her? I'll go back to the Big Donut and wait with Connie in case she comes back," she suggested, her voice faster and slightly more excited than normal. She couldn't help but feel proud of her idea; if the two gems had any more differences to work out, having them go alone would be a great time to do so.

Pearl thought about it for a moment before nodding her head. "An intriguing idea, Amethyst. Garnet, what do you say?"

Garnet didn't even need to think about it. "I agree. Pearl, are you ready to go?"

Pearl didn't need to think about it, either.

"Absolutely. Let's go."

* * *

"Steven, we need to find somewhere that recharge that device! Now!"

For the billionth (or trillionth) time in the past ten minutes since the phone died, Steven shook his head in denial of Peridot's never ending string of demands to go find somewhere to charge the battery. "Peridot, the only place we can go to charge my phone is probably somewhere in Beach City! I thought you didn't like me going there often?"

Peridot hesitated for a moment. He did have a point; since there wasn't one of those "electrical outlets" he said he required nearby, they would have to probably go somewhere where they could potentially be seen by others. In this case, in Beach City.

It would be worth it.

"We won't be caught, I promise! And if we are, we can always protect each other!"

"But we always _are_ protecting each other! That's why you're letting me stay here!"

Peridot once again stopped for a moment to think. He was right. They always were protecting each other, but what Peridot wanted to do violated that agreement. For a moment there, she had voluntarily allowed herself to put him in danger by almost forcing him to return to the place he wanted to avoid unless absolutely necessary, and what she wanted was not absolutely necessary. They didn't need to go and put themselves in harm's way, she wanted them to. A crushing sense of guilt washed over her as she sighed and looked to the floor.

Steven noticed this reaction and spoke in a softer tone than he had used previously. "Peridot, we can leave later, I promise. Just not right this very second."

* * *

As the bright blue and white beam of light faded away, Pearl and Garnet stepped off the Kindergarten's warp pad, with the former blinking and looking at the ground to keep the dust out of her eyes. Wearing shades had their advantages for the other.

"Okay, so where do we begin?" asked Pearl.

Garnet briefly scanned the area for any telltale signs that Peridot had recently been nearby, such as footprints or perhaps abaondoned supplies; there was nothing. "Well, I guess we start on the ground. But be as quiet as possible. We don't want her to know we're here."

Pearl nodded and proceeded to jump to the ground from the top of the canyon, landing perfectly on her feet without a sound. Garnet did the same.

"Should we split up?" whispered Pearl to the fused gem. She shook her head in response.

"She'll be no match for us together, but she might pose a threat if we're separated. We'll stick by each other."

Pearl once again nodded.

"Let's try over there."

* * *

"Peridot, are you okay?"

Peridot looked up and turned her gaze to Steven, her expression downcast behind her visor.

"I'm sorry, Steven. I got a little carried away back there, and I apologize."

Steven smiled. "It's alright."

Even though it was just two simple words, the boy's compassion once again did wonders towards improving her mood, as she felt a great sense of relief replace the culpability that had dominated her emotional state in the past few minutes. As soon as he affirmed everything was okay, however, Peridot's voice once again returned to the same excited tone she used previously, almost subconsciously. "But really, that game was GREAT! How did humans even learn to create something like that?"

Steven had no idea what to say.

* * *

"Garnet, look."

If she wasn't actively straining to hear every detail going on around her, said gem might have missed Pearl's hushed whisper as she pointed to an object of interest on the ground. It was a bright green platform on the floor of the Kindergarten.

"Isn't that the elevator Peridot used?"

Garnet nodded her head. "Yes. Is it still operational? I'm fairly certain Peridot is the only one who can operate it, so it would be a good hiding place."

Pearl shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure. But even if it isn't, do you really think she's hiding down there?"

Garnet shrugged her shoulders as well. "Can't hurt to check."

* * *

Peridot once again rolled on her back and loudly sighed. Steven felt pangs of both sympathy and impatience strike him at the same time.

"Peridot, I'm once again sorry we can't leave the Kindergarten to go right now, but I promise we can go later tonight, when the gems are probably in their rooms or something. Why does it bother you so much?"

"I only needed to destroy fifty seven more of those ships to level up! I was making great progress, and I don't like being interrupted!" she replied without moving her gaze from the ceiling.

Steven nodded his head slowly, his drooping eyebrows giving his whole face a saddened appearance. "I don't like it either, but it's always better to be safe than—what's that sound?"

* * *

With one mighty lift, Garnet removed the strange green platform from its normal position and held it in the air, allowing Pearl to access the entrance to the underground chamber they visited once before. "Go!"

Pearl immediately complied with the demand, jumping down the hole and sliding along the slightly tilted slope of the wall the platform descended down. The fused gem did the same, while simultaneously placing the platform back in its original position.

* * *

Peridot stood up. Steven was right, what _was_ that sound?

The questions only continued to flow in her mind when an even louder sound immediately followed the first, as if something was happening up at the surface. Something with... the platform?

No sooner did this thought cross her mind when something fell from above. Her attention immediately honed in on it to see what it was: a few small rocks and clumps of dirt, with more subsequently following. Why? Was something wrong with the elevator shaft? Perhaps a failure in design? Was it about to cave in?

Not even a few seconds later, her theories were finally answered when two uninvited guests slid down the sloped wall and dropped in on them, rocks and dirt being kicked up in the process. It wasn't a cave-in.

It was much worse.

She could hear Steven breathe in loudly directly behind her. It didn't sound natural at all.

* * *

The first thing Pearl noticed aside from Garnet landing next to her was Peridot, standing alone in the center of the room. It was difficult to guess her emotions, but surprised was probably the best word to describe them. It seemed like she was frozen in place.

She smiled. They had finally cornered her. "You can't escape this time, Peridot. We've..."

Before she continued, the blue and white gem blinked as her eyes noticed something red being largely obstructed behind Peridot's legs. To the left of her, she could tell Garnet noticed it too. It almost looked like a shirt. A trembling shirt. And it was in a sitting up position... by itself?

 _"Wait. Is that—"_

Pearl's smile evaporated in an instant. Her voice died in her throat as her mouth proceeded to hang open wide, her eyes bulging. For a brief second, her mind went completely blank.

The other Crystal Gem managed to contain her emotions slightly better, but it still didn't stop her from removing her shades, her hand furiously shaking. It took a moment before Garnet found herself able to speak.

"... Steven?"

* * *

 **We all knew this was coming eventually.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey everyone, and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **Even though you don't know what I look like, picture me slowly raising my hands and stepping backwards, away from an angry mob. That's how I felt reading the reviews for the last chapter, lol. You guys are the best.**

 **Now then, onto the chapter you've all been waiting for.**

 **TRIGGER WARNING: The beginning of this chapter contains extreme angst/sadness, the worst in the story so far. If you're a more sensitive reader, I strongly recommend you prepare yourself before you begin.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

* * *

 _"This can't be happening. This can't be happening. This can't be happening. This can't be happening."_

Like a broken record stuck in one spot, Steven felt his mind running on an endless loop. Every thought he had was the same idea, every emotion he felt an identical feeling of dread. No matter how many times he tried to deny the truth, however, it was futile; he could endlessly tell himself it wasn't happening, but it _was._ They had found him.

The Crystal Gems.

"... Steven?"

Nobody heard Garnet speak. She probably didn't hear it herself.

Slowly, agonizingly, the seconds passed by. During this brief moment of respite, although it was difficult for Steven to focus on anything through his emotions, he could tell Pearl still seemed to be in complete shock and even disbelief over their discovery, while Garnet... who knew what she was thinking?

And then it exploded.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM, YOU MONSTER!" screamed Pearl, her voice laced with malice and hatred as she summoned her spear. It only took a second after her weapon appeared for her to charge, her tone of voice outlining exactly what she planned to do. Peridot stood frozen, her eyes wide and her breathing quick and fast. She couldn't even move. Apprehension gripped her at every angle.

Steven felt his teeth chatter. Pearl wasn't going to ask questions or negotiate. She was about to attack Peridot.

And he knew exactly what she planned to do.

 _"No..."_

And then, as if he were falling to an abyss, everything went blank. He could feel himself searching for something, anything to cling onto. Something to support him. And he found it.

Ever since he ran away, the Crystal Gems had always signified fear to him. He knew that much from his reactions whenever he thought of them, how desperately he tried to cover his tracks and evade them. It was an inescapable truth; no matter how much he tried to convince himself otherwise, he was scared of them. He was running away from them _because_ he was afraid. Afraid to face the truth, afraid because he knew what exactly the truth was, when he at least lived in a blissful lie in the past.

Even so, while he thought that running away would be the solution, the tonic to everything that ailed him, his fears only shifted to being afraid of going back once he actually went through with escaping. Now he was afraid of being caught. His problems didn't just disappear like he'd hoped.

But now... now things were different. It was over. He'd been found out, his worst nightmare realized. But seeing the one person (or in her case, gem) that truly cared about him through all of this, the only one he could turn to when he needed a shoulder and vice versa... seeing her in danger was too much. Nothing else mattered. He wasn't afraid anymore. He didn't feel fear.

He felt rage.

"NO!"

With reflexes faster than he ever knew he was capable of, Steven jumped in front of the green gem, summoning his shield as fast as he could to block the incoming strike from Pearl, who was now just a few feet away.

She jabbed her spear. It was headed right for Peridot's forehead.

"STEVEN!"

* * *

Peridot's mouth gaped wide open, her arms and legs trembling, her voice cracked. She barely even registered herself screaming his name as loud as she could. She couldn't really register anything at all. The only thing she could think about... her panic scattered it everywhere. But her panic also forced her to act.

 _"NO STE—_ "

But then, before she could move to stop him, to prevent him from... taking the attack? For her?

The reason didn't matter. Before she could stop him, she was blasted back. So was he.

* * *

As the tip of Pearl's spear made contact with Steven's shield, he could feel their vast differences in strength came into play. Although his defense successfully parried the attack, it also served to create an enormous recoil that swept throughout the room. If the attack had made contact with its original target...

With a cry of surprise, both Steven and Peridot were thrown back to the far wall of the chamber, while Pearl was able to stand her ground from the shockwave. Because the former Homeworld gem was heavier, she landed before she hit the back wall without injury, but the other gem wasn't as lucky. Before he could protect himself from impact, the young boy's head snapped against the wall. A sharp cry of pain rang out throughout the chamber as he slumped to the ground.

Peridot felt her heart shatter to pieces.

"No..." she mumbled as she slowly crawled over to his crumpled form, fear closing in all around her. Her fingers shook as she reached out her arms to him, pulling him in her embrace. He wasn't moving.

"... Steven?"

Nothing.

Her vision became blurry.

"Steven? STEVEN?!"

* * *

Pearl held her breath. Her eye was already beginning to twitch. If Garnet was having a similar reaction behind her, she didn't hear it.

 _"What... what just..."_

Before anything else, Pearl felt a wave of sorrow completely engulf her as she lowered her head, the grip on her spear growing tighter. He was never her intended target, she had been aiming for Peridot the whole time, she never meant to - no matter how many excuses her mind generated to justify her actions, none of them meant anything to her.

She had just gone and _hurt_ Steven! The one who brought... there wasn't anything that could accurately describe what Steven meant to them without being an understatement. To her. To everyone. And yet, even if it was an accident, she had gone and done this to him. How could he possibly forgive them... no, how could he possibly forgive _her_ for this, for hurting him the way she did?

And she had hurt him quite a bit in the past month.

Before she run through what to do next in her mind, all of her thoughts were brought to a screeching halt by Peridot taking him in her arms. Peridot.

"Peridot..."

Pearl felt her muscles tighten up. She lifted her spear once more.

What was Steven doing here in the first place? Why did Peridot take him, most likely against his will? What was she doing to him? No, what was she _going_ to do to him if they didn't find her, presumably before she could act? Bring him to Homeworld somehow? Hypnotize him into becoming a soldier or guardian for her experiments? Make him an experiment himself?

What was she planning?

"PERIDOT!"

Once again, rage completely overtook her as all rational thought took a backseat to unrelenting fury. Once again, she prepared to charge with reckless abandon, the implications falling on deaf ears.

"PEARL, WAIT!" yelled Garnet. She didn't hear it.

Peridot had to pay for what she did. For what she was going to do.

* * *

Steven opened his eyes.

The first sensation he felt was a stinging pain in the back of his head. He couldn't figure it out at first; what did he do to himself that caused this pain?

Thankfully, everything came rushing back to him as soon as he questioned in his mind why his head hurt in the first place: he bumped it after blocking Pearl's attack. It was inconvenient that he blacked out, but he knew he would be alright, now that he remembered.

 _"Hold on..."_

Steven gasped. He had protected himself from Pearl's attack... as well as Peridot.

" _Peridot! Wh-where is she?!"  
_

Much to his surprise, his question was immediately answered by a strange sensation on the top of his head. It was difficult to tell, but it felt like... drops of water? Why?

As he slowly lifted his head, he received his answer. There, with tears streaming down her face and her eyes closed, was Peridot. What was she crying about? Was it because she was about to get hurt before he intervened? Because... because _he_ had just been hurt?

As Steven tried to move, to comfort her somehow, he found himself unable to; she had him firmly in her grasp, and she wasn't giving him the chance to break free. With this show of emotion, in addition to his previous observations, the young boy felt an endless river, or even an ocean of questions enter his mind. He needed to know what just happened.

"PERIDOT!"

But first, there were more pressing matters to attend to.

Although he couldn't see her, the echoing footsteps emerging from the center of the room and quickly growing louder gave away what Pearl was about to do. Just like before, she was inevitably charging with her spear to attack Peridot, presumably to aim for the same spot. Unlike before, however, Steven knew he wasn't in any condition to heroically jump up and block the attack with his shield.

So he improvised.

With a slam of his fist against the ground, the quartz gem summoned a bubble surrounding both himself and Peridot, protecting them from any impact that was about to come. It was barely in time, as Pearl came to a screeching halt just inches from the pink sphere. She knew it was futile to attack it; it was practically indestructible, and she didn't want to risk a repeat of what just happened, either.

Peridot, on the other hand, gasped as the bubble encased both her and Steven. He was awake. And for the second time today and third overall, he had saved her life.

"Steven! Are you...?"

Peridot felt her voice taper off as Steven slowly looked at Pearl. She could feel herself shiver.

"WHY COULDN'T YOU JUST LEAVE US ALONE?!"

* * *

"WHY COULDN'T YOU JUST LEAVE US ALONE?!"

As soon as the question left his mouth, Pearl felt her fist clench around her spear. Why would he ask a question like that? Not only that, but what did he mean by "us"? "Us" as in he and _Peridot?_ Was he being forced to ask the question by her?

Pearl shook her head at this theory. If that really was the case, then why was he _protecting_ her in his bubble shield? Why wasn't he letting her eliminate the problem that had plagued them for months?

What was happening here?

"Steven! Put down your bubble shield and get away from her! You don't know what she—!"

"DON'T HURT HER! DON'T YOU _DARE_ HURT HER!"

Pearl put a hand to her mouth. Whatever response she had been expecting, it certainly wasn't that, _defending_ Peridot. It wasn't just surprising, though, but confounding as well; any attempt at making sense of this situation basically flew out the window. She just couldn't understand it; why was he so intent on not allowing her to attack Peridot? Shouldn't he be against her as well?

She was the enemy, after all. Something didn't add up.

Pearl's train of thought was interrupted by noisy footsteps behind her. Not even a moment later, Garnet, who had largely stayed out of the action up until now, walked next to her and surveyed the situation. "Steven! Why are you protecting—"

The gem in question forcibly breathed in, cutting her off. "GARNET, JUST—JUST SHUT UP, ALRIGHT? SHUT UP!"

It was very fortunate Garnet had put her shades back on before she approached the group and spoke to Steven, as everyone in the room would've been thoroughly terrified at the sight of all three of her eyes widening and her pupils dilating at the same time. Said reaction was warranted, however; Steven had NEVER spoken to her, or any of the other Crystal Gems like that in the past. She opened her mouth to refute.

As soon as she looked at his face, however, she couldn't do it. It was his eyes.

He was crying.

"WHY DID YOU HAVE T-TO FIND ME? COULDN'T YOU SEE I D-DIDN'T _WANT_ TO BE FOUND?!" shouted Steven at the top of his lungs, intense sobs penetrating his voice. "WHY DID YOU EVEN HAVE TO CARE?!"

Garnet felt both her fists tighten simultaneously; it seemed Ruby and Sapphire had a very similar reaction to his question. Just as she prepared to retort, however, the fused gem again found herself interrupted, this time by Pearl.

"Why did we have to care? Steven, how can you say that? Of course we—"

"DON'T GIVE ME ANY OF THAT!" interrupted Steven, his voice growing hoarse from constant yelling. Now that he once again had the initiative, however, he pressed forward.

"... You don't care about me, Pearl. You really don't. You... you only c-care about..."

Steven felt the teardrops once again accumulate in his eyes. Still, as much as he wanted to break down again, he knew he couldn't.

Not until he finished.

"Y-you... you only care about my gem... you and Garnet and Amethyst..."

Pearl bit her lip. "Steven, we—"

"YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT MY GEM! YOU DON'T WANT ME, YOU ONLY WANT MY MOM! I DON'T MEAN _ANYTHING_ TO YOU!"

Steven panted. With dark, almost dead looking eyes and hitched breath, he waited for either of the Crystal Gems to say something, to react, to try and make an excuse. He promised to himself as he waited, over and over again: _"I won't break first, I won't break first, I won't break first."_

He broke his vow.

* * *

Before she could even begin to comprehend what Steven just said to her, Pearl suddenly felt a strong chill blow through the room; it felt as if it was solidifying both her and her emotions in place, and she couldn't do anything to stop it, no matter how much she wanted to. She could feel her eyes wide and unmoving, her hand quivering yet completely immobile at the same time, her shocked expression stuck in place. It all felt so... surreal. Like none of this was really happening. Or maybe because she didn't want to believe any of it _was_ happening.

She lowered her spear.

Deep in the recesses of her mind, Pearl knew that no matter how much they investigated or paid attention to him beforehand, neither she, Garnet nor Amethyst could've foreseen just how strongly he felt about his gem. She wasn't sure where or when these thoughts began, nor did she know how they grew to lead him so far astray, but the question still remained: how long had he harbored this grudge? Did he always have such a strong opinion on their feelings towards him? What was REALLY going on in his head throughout everything they did with him in the past?

 _"No. This doesn't just happen. Something made it happen."_

Just as she was about to continue her train of thought, she looked down at Steven.

 _"Oh..."_

* * *

Peridot felt her heart shatter. Again.

In all the time that had passed since she grew so close to Steven, she had seen him sad several times; it was nothing new to her. He even cried once or twice, although she knew he never liked to show it. But nothing could have possibly prepared her for this.

She almost couldn't watch. Seeing him so upset, so desperate, so... _broken_ was too much for her to bear; it was like an invincible fortress collapsing. And Steven was her fortress.

Peridot didn't need to take even a second to think about it: Steven had become everything to her. He was like a beacon of hope that shone brightly in the darkness her life had become since arriving on Earth; he was her shield, her light. And the strangest part was she didn't even know how much she needed him until he was there.

But now that he she knew, she couldn't just stand by and watch that light fade away.

With a small sigh of sympathy, the gem bent down and grabbed Steven by the shoulders, once again bringing him in her tight embrace. She was aware the two Crystal Clods were still watching, but that wasn't important anymore. The only thing she cared about was that he would be okay. No matter what.

"It'll be okay..."

* * *

"It'll be okay..."

Steven felt his lip quiver.

To the young gem, everything felt horrible. The Crystal Gems had found him; there was no running from them anymore. They would never let him out of their sight, and no matter what he tried from now on, there would be no escape from their lies. But that wasn't even the most demoralizing part: the absolute worst feeling of all would be living with them knowing they didn't want him. They only wanted what he used to be.

But with one little gesture from a certain gem, it was really quite amazing how things suddenly felt okay. Just so long as the shield was up.

As soon as her arms enclosed around him, Steven felt himself lock up. For just a brief moment, his facial expression softened as a wave of relief washed over him; he even felt the tiniest trace of a smile grace his lips. The feeling proved to be temporary, however; it almost immediately gave way to the same sadness that had been brought upon him since the Crystal Gems arrived. It seemed like everything aside from Peridot was a reminder his sorrow, a reality check.

But something felt different this time. These depressing thoughts and emotions... it's like they weren't for himself.

Still, with yet more tears streaming out of his eyes, the quartz gem responded to Peridot by wrapping his arms around her, while leaning his head into her. She only tightened her grip in response; she wasn't about to let go anytime soon, and vice versa. For anything.

With this new development, aside from Steven's muffled sobs, the room once again grew quiet. The Crystal Gems could only watch from afar, unable to intervene due to the pink shield that encased the two, protecting them from the outside. Protecting them from... them.

And then, without warning, he spoke. They all heard it.

"I won't let them hurt you."

* * *

Garnet put her hand to her chin, her mind churning in deep thought. There was indeed much to ponder, and her questions weren't finding any answers by themselves.

Peridot was dangerous. That little nugget of information was obvious enough; she had invaded Earth and repeatedly attacked them, after all. Not only that, but her mission on this planet apparently involved the Kindergarten, and nothing related to the Kindergarten could possibly end well (except for Amethyst, of course). She didn't have enough evidence to draw accurate conclusions, but Homeworld's plan definitely sounded like something along the lines of once again attempting to make Earth into a gem colony. Or, at the very least, to try and get the Kindergarten functioning again, even though its been dead for centuries.

Add all of those things up, and it was obvious Peridot was an enemy of the Crystal Gems. Therefore, it only made sense that she should be an enemy of Steven as well, regardless of the fact he ran away. Garnet could tell he still carried the moral code they had taught him.

So what was going on?

Unlike her past assumptions, Peridot didn't seem to be a threat at all. Actually, she was quite the opposite; she wasn't fighting Steven, and she hadn't been when they first arrived. Rather, she was _hugging_ him. Like they were friends. Like they trusted each other.

And he returned the affections. Wholeheartedly.

 _"What could've happened between Steven and Peridot that made them so close? It's not like he was gone for a REALLY long time..."_ thought Garnet as she placed her hand back at her side. She took a deep breath and softly exhaled.

"Pearl, please leave the room."

* * *

Pearl looked at her like she was crazy.

"What?"

"I'm sure you heard me. Please leave the room."

The blue and white gem couldn't understand where this sudden decision was coming from. What reason did she have to request this? "But... w—"

"Pearl, you saw how Steven reacted when you tried to speak to him. He obviously doesn't want to talk to either of us, but there are a few questions we need to ask him, and I have a hunch it would be better off if I asked them... alone."

Pearl furiously shook her head. "How can you just ask me to _leave?_ What if Peridot tried to hurt him?And besides, if you have something you need to say to him, I promise I won't interfere."

"She won't try that. Look at them," replied Garnet as she pointed at the bubble, the scene inside still depicting a never ending hug between the two. "And regarding the interfering thing, my future vision says otherwise," she concluded as she straightened her shades.

Pearl inaudibly growled. She lowered her head and dissipated her spear.

As much as she wanted to, she knew it was hopeless to keep resisting the fused gem's decision; when Garnet made up her mind, she meant business. Their feud taught her this lesson extraordinarily well.

With one last look back at the pink bubble, Pearl slowly walked to the enormous opening and began to climb up the sloped wall, leaving the three remaining gems in the chamber to each other.

 _"Just what are you planning, Garnet?"_

* * *

Once she confirmed the other gem had completely vacated the room, Garnet turned back to the protective sphere, which had finally fallen completely silent. She closed her eyes and shook her head a little, the scene inside still being a shock to her, no matter how many times she saw it: Peridot and Steven locked in a tight hug, with the Homeworld gem slowly rocking him back and forth.

It was certainly strange.

"Steven."

If the young boy heard her request for his attention, he didn't act on it. Rather, it seemed to strengthen his resolve to ignore her even more, as he buried himself just a little deeper in Peridot's arms. Now it was Garnet's turn to sigh.

"Steven," she repeated.

That was it.

"WHAT?!" he screamed as he turned around to face her, his desire to disregard her evaporating almost immediately, for whatever reason. Annoyance? Anger?

It didn't matter. Despite the startling reaction, Garnet's expression didn't budge an inch.

"Steven... why are you like this?"

The quartz child didn't say a word as he replied by giving her a menacing glare, his cold eyes gleaming in the light of the room. Peridot, on the other hand, wanted to say something to the fusion, something mean from behind the safety of the bubble, but her hesitation caught her tongue as she opened her mouth to speak; as much as she wanted to stand up for Steven, the idea of talking back to the Crystal Clods (or in this case, Clod) made her feel somewhat out of place.

Much to her surprise, however, he decided to take the initiative.

"... What are you talking about...?" he mumbled, almost a full minute after the question was asked. His gaze had moved and fixed itself firmly to the floor.

A small frown appeared on Garnet's lips. "I'm talking about your attitude. Why do... why do you..."

Garnet gritted her teeth. She was vaguely aware of her fingers digging into the ground beneath her, almost subconsciously. She could feel her frustration was boiling over. Quickly.

"WHY DO YOU THINK WE DON'T NEED YOU, STEVEN?!"

Just as soon as it began, the fused gem ended her outburst by putting her right hand to her mouth. She looked at the floor as well. _"Well, this was why I sent Pearl away... so she wouldn't freak out over my temper. And scare him even more. What have I done..."_

Her anger release was just for a second. She knew everyone got frustrated sometimes, and she was no exception. Not only that, she ALSO knew that allowing her emotions to get the best of her was often a recipe for failure. At the same time, though, Garnet always felt the pressure of keeping up her role as leader of the Crystal Gems kept her in line, as if it was a shield against open confessions of emotions. And whether said feelings were positive or negative, she knew she wasn't a fan of parading them out in the open. She liked staying behind her relatively calm personality and her cool-headed rationality, almost all the time.

Because of this, whenever her confidence changed and she snapped, even if just for a second, it commanded attention. And when she looked up at the bubble again after a few seconds of staring intently at the same spot on the ground, she was surprised to see that's exactly what she got. Attention.

From Steven.

 _"Wait a second..."_

It didn't take her long to realize that, for the first time since this encounter began, it seemed he was genuinely curious about her, or, more specifically, why she seemed different. Sensing a golden opportunity to get her message across while she had his undivided attention, Garnet immediately moved to follow up on her previous statement.

"Steven, I apologize for my outburst, but what I said is true. Why do you think we don't need you?"

Steven frowned and frowned his forehead, while simultaneously wiggling out of Peridot's grasp. This only encouraged Garnet even more; was he actually going to listen to what she had to say now?

"Why do I _think?_ Why would I need to answer that when I already know? You don't need me, and you don't want me, either. I heard her say it."

Garnet raised an eyebrow behind her shades. "Heard who say it?"

Steven felt a small shudder ripple through him as he recalled the memory from a few days ago. He never wanted to think about it again, but circumstances forced his hand.

"It was... it was Pearl. A few days ago."

"What did she do?" If whatever story he was about to describe really was from a few days ago, it was during her feud with Pearl; Garnet couldn't have possibly known if something happened between them in private if she didn't openly say it.

"I overheard her. She was sitting in her room. She was holding a painting of—"

Steven suddenly cut himself off; he didn't need to finish. The gasp that just emerged from Garnet, while small, was more than enough confirmation that she knew exactly where this was going.

But her reaction did more than that. It also served as a flame. A flame that rekindled his anger.

"But... but how do I know YOU don't feel that way, either? What about Amethyst?! Or even—"

"Steven!"

The boy stopped dead in his tracks. Garnet removed her shades.

"Steven, we ALL miss you. Pearl misses you. Amethyst misses you. Your father misses you... I miss you."

"You're just saying that."

Garnet felt her anger spike again, as her left hand formed a fist. Unlike her fight with Pearl, however, she knew she couldn't keep her temper up for long. Her hand quickly reverted back to its normal shape.

She sighed.

"You don't understand. I meant EXACTLY what I said. Pearl's been a complete wreck since you left, and she's searched for you day and night. Amethyst has been the same way, and it was even her idea to look for you here. Your Dad came with us to search for you as well, when he learned you were missing."

Steven frowned and tightly squeezed his hands together. Someone very important was missing from that group.

"But what about C—"

"She doesn't know that you've run away. But she's dropped by the house to try and talk with you since you've left, and she wants to make up with you. She misses you, Steven. We all do. And it's not because of your gem."

Steven shook his head. "Yeah, right."

 _"Unbelievable..."_

Garnet couldn't help but feel like she was banging her head against a wall. No matter what she tried, the boy just would not receive the message that they all cared about him because he was HIM, not because he had Rose Quartz's gem.

But she had one more card to play.

"I miss her."

"... What do you—?"

"I MISS her, Steven. I miss your mother every day, and I know Pearl and Amethyst do as well. But we don't love you because you have her gem. We love you because you're YOU."

He could feel it was an involuntary reaction; he had no control over it, no matter how hard he tried. But as soon as the words that came from the fused gem registered in his mind, Steven felt his heart thaw. Just a little bit. It was quite bizarre.

And she wasn't done yet.

"Steven, do you... do you have any idea how much you mean to us? Because whether you realize it or not, you affect everyone around you. Your care for everyone, your love, your happiness, it brings joy to ALL of our lives. And it's all because you're who YOU are. You're not Rose Quartz. You're Steven. You're our Steven. And we..."

He felt like he was going to cry again, though for a very different reason this time. All of the walls he put up between himself and the Crystal Gems were being broken down, and he knew why; because she was telling the TRUTH.

Every word she said was fact. He could tell she meant it.

Garnet took a deep breath.

"... Steven. Please come home."

* * *

Peridot was horrified.

She still wasn't exactly well versed in human emotion, but she could tell from both the various facial expressions and sudden change in attitude that Steven was very much considering the fusion's pleas for him to return to his former base of operations. For him to return to his life as a Crystal Gem.

For him to leave her.

 _"How could he..."_

Newfound panic quickly began to overwhelm her, her heart rate speeding up as her shaking began to reach the point where it was noticeable. Deep in her mind, she knew it wasn't just the idea of him abandoning her after they had grown so close that terrified her, it was also what would happen to her if he were to leave. He was her only line of defense against the Crystal Gems. If he were to suddenly allow them to do what they felt was necessary, well...

That didn't bother her as much as Steven leaving.

 _"Steven..."_

* * *

Steven put a hand to his chin as he slowly sat crossed legged. He needed a moment to think.

Or perhaps a few.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Steven had to make a concentrated effort to stifle his laughter at the irony of it all; he had been everywhere on the emotional spectrum that day, from up in the clouds to as low as you can go. And yet, at the end of it all, here he was, opening up to his former caretakers.

But it wasn't because he was forced to. If he truly had no interest in hearing anything they had to say, he could've just turned around and plug his ears. But he didn't do that. In fact, his reaction was the exact opposite.

He wanted to listen to them. He wanted to hear them apologize, even though "them" was Garnet accounting for everybody. He wanted to openly acknowledge the fact that they genuinely seemed sorry.

No matter which way he twisted it, the truth stood above all. He _wanted_ to forgive them. He still wasn't sure why he was so open armed all of a sudden, but it really wasn't important to him.

He wanted to forgive them.

 _"Life's kind of weird..."_

And in that moment, he made his decision.

But just as he opened his mouth to give his response to Garnet's request, to go back on the vow he made to himself the day he left Beach City, to do what he considered unthinkable just an hour ago, a tiny nagging voice in his head told him to turn around.

He did just that.

* * *

"Garnet... I'm not leaving Peridot."

Garnet sighed. This was probably to be expected; after the show of dedication he displayed to her earlier by protecting her with his shield (as well as the ongoing protection he provided her with the bubble), it only made sense that he wouldn't want to leave her behind.

The fused gem cracked her knuckles as she thought long and hard about what to do next. There were quite a few possible roads to travel down, but it didn't take her very long to come to a realization that would help guide her course of actions:

Did she love Steven more than she hated Peridot?

The answer was obvious.

"I understand... Steven. Look at me."

He did just that. And he didn't feel afraid staring into her three eyes. Not like earlier that day.

"I can see you've formed a strong friendship with Peridot. I promise I won't hurt her, and I'll make sure Pearl and Amethyst don't try to, either. But please... lower the shield."

Steven thought for a second.

"Do you SWEAR you won't hurt Peridot?" She nodded, placing her hand in the air as if making an oath.

Satisfied with the answer, the young gem once again took a moment to contemplate his next decision. "Let me talk to her about it first. Um... would you mind leaving the room as well?"

Garnet gave a small smile as she nodded her head, standing up from her crouched position on the floor. Although she would've preferred to hear their discussion regarding the issue, she also knew there weren't any escape routes out of this room aside from the main entrance. She trusted him.

She walked over to the hole and began to climb back up to the surface. As soon as she was gone, Steven turned back to his friend. She looked at him with wide eyes, her fingers all out of sorts.

He lowered the bubble.

"Peridot, I need to know. Would you... would you be willing to come with me?"

* * *

 **And there we have it.**

 **So, not quite as steep a cliffhanger as last time (thank goodness, lol). There's still going to be quite a bit of important stuff coming up soon, though, so be sure to stay tuned.**

 **Okay, that's about all I've got at the moment. Until next time.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	16. Chapter 16

**How's it going, and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **I apologize for this chapter taking a little longer than usual. I had to re-write a portion of it, as I wasn't satisfied with the direction it was going in. By the time I came to this decision, though, I was almost done, so... yeah.**

 **Well then, I'd say that's enough from me for the time being. On with the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

* * *

"Garnet! What happened? Is he coming with us?"

Hidden behind the protective cover of her shades, Garnet rolled her three eyes at Pearl's never ending stream of questions, one after the other. It was to be expected, considering she had been kept in the dark for the better portion of her conversation with Steven and Peridot, but the answers should've been fairly obvious, seeing how he wasn't with her.

But all of that wasn't important. There was business to attend to first.

"He's still thinking it over," replied the fused gem, after a drawn out pause. Pearl breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, I suppose that's better than no. But then... what are you doing up here? Shouldn't you be waiting for him to make his choice down there?"

"He's discussing his decision with Peridot. He asked me to give them privacy."

As soon as the name of the Homeworld gem escaped her lips, Garnet braced for impact. She could already tell the reaction from Pearl wasn't exactly going to be a friendly one.

And she was right.

"PERIDOT?! Who cares what Peridot has to say? We should take Steven and bring him—"

"Pearl!"

Pearl immediately cut off her rant at the other gem's interruption, a feeling of nervousness quickly overtaking her as her foot lightly tapped the ground, each hand tightly clutching the other behind her back. Even after the feud that fractured the team for a significant amount of time, the blue and white gem had to admit that Garnet still very much had a strong aura of leadership, and it was a feeling that seemed to follow her everywhere; the Kindergarten was no exception.

"... Garnet?"

Garnet took a deep breath and anxiously cracked her knuckles. _"This is going to be tricky."_

"Pearl, listen to what I have to say, and listen VERY carefully. I'm going to inform Amethyst that we've found him. If Steven and Peridot emerge from that hole before I come back," she said, her hand slowly pointing to the enormous opening in the floor of the Kindergarten, "you are NOT to do ANYTHING harmful to Peridot. No exceptions. Do you understand?"

Pearl's mouth fell open.

"But... but _why?_ It doesn't make any sense! What if she has some kind of reinforcement or weapon we don't know about? Or what if she's planning something against us? We should just bubble her and be done with it!"

Garnet shook her head. "Pearl, I don't think you're seeing this properly."

"... What?"

"You hear me. You've got the whole situation wrong."

As the weight of Garnet's words began to sink in, Pearl's face dissolved into a angry frown. From her point of view, there wasn't _anything_ wrong with her observations; Peridot was the enemy, and that was final. Why was Garnet so insistent on standing up for her?

And for that matter, why was Steven?

Just as she opened her mouth to refute, Pearl's train of thought was thrown off the tracks by Garnet clearing her throat, implying she wasn't quite finished yet. "Pearl, you saw what happened in that room a little while ago. Steven stood up for Peridot, and I can tell she would've done the same if their positions were reversed. But it's not just that; I can also tell there's no deceit in either of them. They've grown extremely close while he's been away from us."

Pearl's heart plummeted. She refused to believe what she was hearing.

"But-but how? How could he just forgive her so easily, after everything she's done? _Why_ would he be so willing to..."

Pearl's voice tapered off as she lowered her head, her eyelids drooping as she fumbled in her mind to finish her thought. The other gem patiently waited... even though she already knew what was coming.

"... How can he just forgive her?"

For this question, Garnet didn't have an answer off the top of her head. Pearl did bring up an excellent point: why was it that Steven was so willing to forgive and be friendly to everyone, even Peridot? It was truly remarkable just how kind of a soul he was, how generous he could be.

And then it hit her.

"Pearl."

She looked up.

"I think he's so forgiving... it's because he has Rose's gem. He has all of Rose's love and compassion. But that isn't all of it."

Pearl thought for a moment. "Is it—"

"Yes. It's not because he's Rose. It's because he's Steven."

* * *

Peridot couldn't stop shaking. Steven reached out his hand to her arm.

"Um... Peridot? Are you—"

"AAAAAAGHHH!"

With all of her pent up nervousness and fear finally coming to a head at the physical contact, Peridot's loud wail pierced the silence that had fallen throughout the room, her shaking, almost writhing form tumbling to the floor as a direct result. Steven, on the other hand, visibly recoiled as he quickly retraced his hand; all he wanted to do was help. Why was she _this_ nervous? Still, whatever the reason for her sudden reaction, he knew it would be wise not to intervene. Although he didn't like seeing his friend in distress, it would be best to let this bout of anxiety run its course.

Thankfully, just as soon as it began, Peridot's panic began to fade. Her thrashing, for the most part, subsided into stillness, her quick, distraught breathing slowing to deep gulps of air. Still, despite regaining control of herself, it took her almost a minute before her frantic mumblings dwindled into silence once again.

Steven blinked.

"... Peridot?"

She didn't look at him.

"Peridot," repeated Steven, his impatience more evident as he audibly mingled a sigh. This time, however, he got what he was hoping for, her arms trembling as she slowly sat up once more, propping herself against the wall.

"Steven... why?"

"... Wh—"

"Why would you do this?!"

Steven subconsciously felt himself scoot away from the former Homeworld gem; he could immediately tell from her body language that she wasn't thrilled with something he did, and he already knew exactly what it was: how he even considering Garnet's offer. Everything suddenly fit into place the more he thought about it; she was nervous because of his decision, and because of him in general. Now he had some explaining to do... quite a bit of it.

"Peridot, wait! I can ex—!"

"No, you can't!" cried the other gem. "How can you just leave like this?! I thought you cared!"

Steven could feel his breath hitch as Peridot's accusations dug into him. Did she really think these things about him? That he didn't care about her? "I do, Peridot! Of course I care about you, how could you even _think_ I don't?"

Peridot furiously shook her head, her fingers nervously fidgeting. "Yeah, right! Otherwise you wouldn't be turning your back on me for those CLODS, after all that talk about how you didn't like them anymore! I should've KNOWN you would do this!"

Steven's voice caught in his throat. As he desperately scrambled to form coherent words in the form of a sentence, his reply came in a faint whisper. "Peridot... I-I told you—"

"And it was a lie! Just go aw—"

That was all he could take.

"PERIDOT! I TOLD YOU, I'M NOT LEAVING YOU! IF YOU'RE NOT COMING WITH ME, THEN I'M GOING NOWHERE, AND THAT'S FINAL!"

Peridot closed her mouth, any notion of finishing her thought dying on impact. For just the second time in the past little while, the chamber stood completely still. Aside from Steven's, relatively speaking, loud breathing.

And then he spoke.

"Peridot... I'm not leaving without you."

* * *

Guilt.

Before anything else, Peridot felt a crushing, suffocating, excruciating sense of guilt completely flatten her. She could almost physically pictureit enclosing her on all sides, but that wasn't even the most painful part; the absolute worst experience was that no matter what she did in her mind to escape, it only got worse.

But deep down, she knew there was only one thing to do, and it wasn't pointing fingers and blaming others. In her case, one other.

"Steven..."

She took a deep breath.

"Steven, I'm so—"

"Peridot, I'm sorry for yelling at you like that, but please, just... I'm not leaving you. I swear."

And just like that, now it was her turn to recoil in surprise. What reason did he have to apologize? After the way she just turned on him, _he_ was the one saying sorry?

Peridot shook her head. Something about that idea was very wrong.

"Steven, you have nothing to be sorry for."

The quartz gem squinted his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

She responded by crawling over to where he was sitting, once again settling directly across him. "You shouldn't apologize to me, _I_ should apologize to _you._ I lost my temper back there. I didn't mean—"

Before she could continue, Peridot suddenly found herself unable to speak, her voice stuck in her diaphragm. It was trapped by none other than Steven, his arms wrapped tightly around her.

"I know you didn't," he quietly mumbled. Peridot felt herself smile as she returned the gesture.

"You know, you've sure liked hugs since I taught you about them."

Peridot couldn't stop herself from laughing, even though he was absolutely right. "But you were the one who started this one!"

He smiled as well.

"You get the idea."

* * *

 _"Let's see... it was the Big Donut, she said..."_

Under ordinary circumstances, Garnet almost never walked around Beach City by herself; it was almost always Steven that dragged her around town on some crazy adventure. This time, however, her trip was strictly business. And there was someone in particular she needed to speak to.

After a few minutes of walking along the beach, the enormous sign of the Big Donut to come into view. However, just as she was about to make the final stretch to the front entrance, she hesitated.

It suddenly occurred to her that there was one tiny problem with telling Amethyst she and Pearl finally found Steven. From what she could gather, his friend Connie didn't yet know he ran away in the first place. If they were both waiting outside the Big Donut, how was she supposed to give the news to the Earth born gem without alerting the other to what had been going on?

With a disgruntled frown emerging, she shook her head to clear her mind. Now wasn't the time for doubt.

As she stepped out in front of the building, she looked to the bench at the side of the structure. There, as she expected, sat Amethyst, fast asleep with her head leaning back on the seat. Luckily for her, Connie was nowhere to be found. " _Thank goodness,"_ she thought as her eyes focused on the resting gem.

"Amethyst!"

"GRAH!"

With shock and surprise very apparent, Amethyst's eyes shot open as her head snapped up. With frantic speed, she scanned the area for the source of the disturbance that awoke her, but relaxed upon realizing it was only Garnet.

"Oh, hey Garnet. Did you—"

"Where's Connie?" interjected the fused gem, catching the other guard. Although the person in question obviously wasn't in the immediate area, she wanted to be absolutely certain she wouldn't just pop out of nowhere and overhear them.

"Connie? She had to go home, her mom called her. But as I was about to say, did you catch Peridot?" asked Amethyst, her eyes lighting up in anticipation and hope. It would serve as a tremendous morale boost to the whole team if they did.

Garnet gulped.

"Um, no. We haven't. But..."

 _"All right, just say it. Say it. Say it!"_

Amethyst's impatience got the best of her as Garnet stumbled to finish her thought; what could be so important that it caused _her_ to hesitate? "Garnet? C'mon, spit it out!"

She took a deep breath.

"We found Steven."

* * *

"We found Steven."

Amethyst laughed.

"Good one, Garnet. But seriously, did you find Peridot?"

Garnet adjusted her shades.

"Amethyst, what about me says I'm joking?"

"Well, we did search everywhere around here, so how could he have... dodged us..."

The purple gem's eyes slowly grew wider and wider. Just like Pearl's when she first discovered him, her mind went completely blank as adrenaline pumped through her, numbing everything else around her. None of it mattered.

 _"But... if he's not here, then where? I need to make sure he's okay, to see him myself..."_

"Garnet... where is he?" she whispered. The gem in question pursed her lips.

"Well..."

* * *

"So, that's basically it."

Peridot leaned back against the wall as she crossed her legs, her gaze fixing itself at the far end of the room. Once she was settled, her face completely froze, including her eyes as she lost herself in thought. There was quite a bit to think about.

Steven twiddled his thumbs and waited.

 _"I gave her the options, but I don't know if she'll be willing to come with me, not if Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst are still around. What can we do? It's really up to her..."_

"Steven."

He held his breath. This was the critical juncture. Now or never.

"I... I can't."

His heart plummeted.

"Peridot, why can't—"

Peridot shook her head and held up her fingers. "Steven, I just... I CAN'T be near those Clods! Who knows what they'll do to me?"

Now it was Steven's turn to shake his head. "They _won't_ do anything, I swear! I'll make sure of it."

"But... Steven... look."

He paused.

"When I was trying to escape Earth, you and the Crystal Gems kept getting in my way. You would attack me, try to capture me, whatever. Obviously, I'm no longer trying to... you know, but there's just something about them. I don't trust them, no matter what they say. I'm sorry."

Steven frowned and released a frustrated sigh. That wasn't the answer he was looking for, not even close. Still, although he didn't want to admit it, she did have a point; she had been on the run from the Crystal Gems for a while now, much longer than he himself. He could understand her point of view, how it was difficult for her to suddenly put her differences behind her and embrace the enemy... or, at least, what he used to believe was the enemy.

Kind of like what he did with her.

"I can see where you're coming from, Peridot—to be honest, I don't really trust them one hundred percent, either."

 _"Especially not Pearl, after what she said that day, the day I left... AND for attacking Peridot..."_

He knew he wasn't lying to make her feel better; after everything that had happened between the team in the month preceding his decision to run away, he had every reason to be just a little wary of the overall structure of the Crystal Gems as a group. Had things gotten ANY better between the three of them since he left?

At a glance, it seemed things had indeed improved. From his point of view, it looked like Garnet and Pearl had put their feud behind them (considering they were the only ones that appeared in the chamber a little while ago—Amethyst was nowhere to be found), but there was no way to confirm that, not withput without once again being re-integrated into the team.

And that was something he absolutely refused to do without a certain gem right by his side.

Still, Peridot's decision threw a wrench in his plan. If he were to return to Beach City with her (and there was no other alternative besides staying at the Kindergarten, something he knew the Crystal Gems would never allow now that they knew where he was), then how was he going to convince her that everything would be fine, that she would like living with him there despite the Crystal Gems, all that stuff? There just didn't seem to be a logical answer, one that would please all parties.

 _"There must be a solution, but I can't just have them leave—wait a second."_

Steven gave a big, toothy grin.

"But you know what? I think I have an idea."

* * *

Garnet coughed.

 _"Well, here we go."_

With a brave stride forward, Garnet stepped off the Kindergarten's warp pad and took a brief look around. Nothing seemed to have significantly changed in the canyon since she had last been here (likely revealing there were no recent fights or something), meaning Steven probably hadn't made his decision yet.

While cracking her knuckles, the fused gem began the walk to the hole in the ground leading to the underground chamber, where Steven and Peridot were presumably still conferencing. It was also an excellent opportunity to reconvene with Pearl.

 _"I hope he makes the right choice... my future vision says he will. For the most part._ _"_

Finally, after a few minutes of walking the journey required, she came across the exact same sight she laid eyes on when she left: the gem she was looking for, sitting on a rock with nobody else around.

"Pearl."

At the mention of her name, Pearl turned her fixed look from the opening in the floor of the Kindergarten to Garnet. She gave a faint smile at her reappearance, although it was rather difficult due to the circumstances.

"Oh, Garnet. Did you tell Amethyst we found Steven?"

She nodded her head. "Yes, I explained everything, including how Peridot's with him."

"I see... and how did she react?" asked Pearl, her smile slowly fading at the mention of "that other" gem's name.

"She's a little upset about Peridot being near him, but she wants to see him nevertheless. I told her to not wait at the house, though, that they had some stuff to work out first. It took a while, but she agreed."

The blue and white gem breathed a sigh of relief; throwing Amethyst's relatively explosive personality in the mix would probably only serve as a detriment to convincing Steven to return with them. Heck, after the way she reacted towards Peridot when she first saw her with him, she basically felt that way about herself

No wonder Garnet asked her to leave the room.

"Have they come up yet?"

Pearl blinked as the other gem's questions registered in her ears. "No, not yet. They've been down there since you left. Why?"

She didn't say anything as she walked to the hole. At least, not until she puffed out her chest from breathing in.

"STEVEN!"

Pearl barely covered her ears in time. That was loud.

 _Really_ loud.

Still, her shout did serve a purpose, and it performed its job masterfully. Not even a minute later, the child in question slowly climbed out of the entrance at last, his attention turning towards Garnet as he surfaced. Peridot didn't appear to be with him.

That fact didn't matter. With increased adrenaline, Pearl immediately checked him over for any signs of injury or emotional distress. Nothing appeared visible, but she had to be completely certain.

"Steven, are you o—"

"Not now, Pearl."

She froze.

* * *

"Not now, Pearl."

Steven could feel himself cringe inside.

Even after everything that's happened in the past month—heck, in the past _hour_ , he didn't like talking to Pearl that way, in such a commanding and, to be quite honest, hurtful tone. After all, she had raised him his whole life, and she had always been there for him whenever he needed her. In fact, he knew in his mind that she was the closest thing to a true mother he ever had, even more so than Garnet and Amethyst.

But what she did down there in the chamber, coupled with what she said that day he decided to visit her in her room, the day she held the portrait of his mom...

 _"Not yet."_

Pearl looked at the ground.

* * *

Garnet could tell the silence was quickly becoming uncomfortable. If it wasn't already.

"So, Ste—"

"Garnet, I need you to do me a favor." Although Steven knew deep down he didn't completely trust Garnet again, either, he was still far more willing to share information with her than he was with Pearl.

Garnet, on the other hand, felt her voice catch in her throat. She hadn't been expecting him to take the initiative the way he did. "Um... okay. What do you need?"

He quickly glanced at Pearl before giving the fused gem his undivided attention.

"I need you to listen carefully..."

* * *

 _"I can't believe I'm agreeing to this."_

Peridot once again shook her head in disbelief as she ran over the specifics of Steven's plan in her mind yet again. She had done it almost a dozen times, and it still made just as little sense as when he first introduced it.

 _"I still don't get it, who is this person he says we'll be living with? All Steven said was that he's apparently related to him, yet not with the Crystal Clods as well. That's the ONLY reason I'm willing to go along..."  
_

She sighed.

Just as she was about to delve further into what could go wrong in his plan, however, she was interrupted by Steven reappearing in the room. He gave a big smile as he motioned for her to come near.

"Peridot!"

With a grunt of acknowledgement, the other gem stood up and walked over to him, a rather grim expression lining her face as her arms hung stiffly at her sides. Steven noticed her body language, unable to understand what she could've been so down about; his strategy was perfect, for both of them! At least, he hoped.

"Um... are you okay?"

She lightly shook her head. "Steven, could you please explain this strategy you've devised again? What exactly are we going to do?"

The boy sighed. "Okay, okay. Do you remember how I told you about what a mother is a while ago?"

"Yes. So what?"

"Well..." mumbled Steven, rubbing the back of his head. "You see, for there to be a mother, there has to be a father, too. What we're going to do is live with my father—'dad' for short—in Beach City. His car wash is a good distance away the temple, so we won't be bothered by the Crystal Gems."

"What's a car wash? And besides, I still don't like the idea of this plan. You know I don't trust the Clods, who's to say they won't try to attack us... or mostly me, when we least expect it?"

Steven bobbled to come up with a comprehensible reply. "Well, a car wash—hey, and this plan is... Peridot."

She impatiently tapped her foot as she crossed her arms.

"Look, you said you don't want to live with the Crystal Gems. You don't even want to be _near_ them, and I understand why. At the same time, though, they won't let us stay here at the Kindergarten by ourselves, and you can't deny that even if we could, it would still be a humongous hassle to go back and forth from here to Beach City every time I would need supplies."

Peridot grumbled as she slowly nodded. Although she didn't want to admit it, he was right; that was always the flaw with the two of them hiding out in the Kindergarten. The constant need for Steven to resupply with food and whatever else he needed would be an enormous pain if they were to remain in the underground chamber, and it very well could've lead to them being caught if they were seen by someone he knew in Beach City.

But being detected wasn't exactly their biggest concern anymore.

Steven continued. "Because of that, we're going to have to move. But you'll like where we're going, and the gems won't bother you. I promise."

She paused.

"... Fine. I'll try it. But if I don't like it, well... you'll know. Trust me. You'll know."

* * *

As the two gems climbed out of the opening on the floor of the Kindergarten, they couldn't help but be on high alert; it was instinct. Constantly being on edge taught them to always be on guard remarkably well, and such was the case when they returned to the Kindergarten. Had this been a few hours ago, however, it would've been their worst nightmare come true.

Pearl and Garnet were waiting for the two of them, a blank expression on both of their faces; Pearl was very much struggling to remain stoic, though. Still, for the sake of Steven, she knew she couldn't afford to go after Peridot again.

Now that everyone was assembled in one place, Steven cleared his throat. "Okay, listen up. Garnet, do you remember everything I told you?"

She nodded her head. "Yes, Steven. We're to leave you and Peridot completely alone until you're ready. In the meantime, you'll be living with Greg at the car wash, rather than the temple. Is that correct?"

Now it was his turn to nod. "Yeah." _"Since we can't stay here..."_

"Pearl, do _you_ understand as well? Unless we come to you, please don't bother us for _anything._ "

Pearl said nothing as her cold gaze turned to Peridot. The recipient could feel a chill.

"Yes, Steven. I understand."

"Then... let's go, I guess."

* * *

 **Well then, what's going to happen next?**

 **Have a nice day.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Surprise. I actually posted this yesterday, but the site's algorithms prevented it from appearing at the top of the category page (meaning most of you wouldn't see it), go figure. In any event, here you go.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

* * *

As the light of the warp pad faded, Steven, Peridot, Pearl and Garnet remained still for a moment as the interior of the temple came into focus, the four of them waiting for someone to break the ice. The sheer quiet was really something to behold.

As much as she didn't want to acknowledge her interest, Peridot couldn't stop herself from intently observving both the appearance and contents of the base; there seemed to be quite a few fascinating human inventions. With a few primitive ones, as well, but that was unavoidable.

But it was the base of the Crystal Gems. She began to shiver.

Steven, on the other hand, felt a smile appear on his face as he caught his first glimpse of the house in what felt like an eternity. Very little had changed, from what he could tell, but something still felt... different. Like he was reunited with a long lost friend, or something like that.

 _"Doesn't look like Amethyst is around... probably for the best. Who knows how she'd react to Peridot?"_

Finally, after a few moments, the unusually extended silence was broken by Pearl. "Okay, Steven, here we are. Is there anything you and... Peridot need before you go?" she asked, clenching her teeth at the mention of the Homeworld gem's name. And once again, Peridot felt a twinge of nervousness creep up on her.

 _"I don't know, Steven... I just can't trust her..."_

"No, Pearl, we'll be all right. I guess we're going to go now... I'll visit soon," he said as he cracked his neck.

With business settled, Steven stepped off the warp pad and began the trek to the front door. With a sigh of relief, Peridot followed immediately, trying her absolute hardest to ignore the temptation to look behind her.

"Steven."

Both former runaways stopped.

"Thank you. For coming back to us."

His back was turned to Garnet. He frowned.

 _"I guess..."_

* * *

"Steven! What is that device, over there? The one moving at admittedly impressive speeds for human technology? I saw it when we were last here, what is it?!"

Steven chuckled at his friend's enthusiasm as she pointed out the pizza van driving down the road running parallel to the beach. The same boundless energy she had shown in the specifics of human technology certainly hadn't disappeared amidst the recent chaos, and it would probably carry on for weeks. He would have a bit of explaining to do.

"That's a car, Peridot. We use them to get to places faster than we could by walking."

She put a finger to her chin as she stopped, their walk along the beach to the car wash halting as a result. "Vehicles that operate exclusively through attachment to the ground? Highly impractical. Have you not invented aerial mobility yet?"

"What, you mean like airplanes?"

Peridot's eyes lit up.

"Airplane? What's that? Does it function in a similar fashion to the ship Jasper and I piloted to Earth to destroy y... that we piloted to Earth?"

"Well... not quite," mumbled Steven. _"I remember that ship... she used it to travel here from Homeworld. You know, I wonder what she thought of Earth back then? Did she ever think this place would maybe be more to her than a mission site?_

 _... I wonder what she thinks of it now."_

Steven shuddered. This didn't escape the watch of Peridot, as she immediately fell into a quieter, less excited tone of voice than she had been using not even a moment ago.

"Um... Steven? Are you okay?"

He didn't answer. His body language gave away what he was really thinking, though; his eyes slowly grew wide as his walking completely ceased. The other gem's nervousness only grew.

"Steven?!"

* * *

Steven felt panic well up inside him. Actually, pure fear was probably the better term.

He and Peridot had been caught by the Crystal Gems. That was the reason they were now living in Beach City, a human settlement. Deep down, Steven knew that living here again wasn't a bad thing for him at all; he still knew practically everyone in the city, and everything about it. It was just as familiar to him as the day he left.

But what about Peridot?

He knew she liked being alone (at least, until she really got to know him), as evidenced by her decision to hide in the completely empty Kindergarten. He also knew she didn't know anything about humanity, aside from what he had taught her so far. Add all of those things up, and the end result was someone who was pretty unreceptive to Earth, completely unaware of the more intricate details of the planet.

But it wasn't just that. Even if Peridot was willing to accept the planet itself, who's to say she would accept the species that inhabited it? While she never flat out stated she disliked humans in the past, she never gave any indication she would be willing to cooperate with them, either.

If she was going to live with him in Beach City, she would have to do that. And it would start with her putting up with his father.

Would she?

* * *

"Peridot... please don't!"

All of the former Homeworld gem's anxiety was immediately replaced with confusion at this request. What could she possibly even consider doing that had him so nervous? "Steven, what do you me-"

Before she could continue, she gasped as the boy suddenly latched onto her leg, hugging her tight. It was impossible for her to feel due to her artificial limb enhancer (something he didn't know about), but he was crying.

"Please don't leave..."

* * *

 _"... What?"_

That was what he was so worried about? That she was going to leave? Didn't they already go over this subject not even a few days ago?

With a small frown curling her lips, Peridot kneeled to be at eye level with him. As he broke off the tight hold he had taken on his leg, they made eye contact. She could tell he could barely see through his blurred vision.

"Steven..." she said softly as she placed both her arms and fingers on his shoulders. "We already went over this. I'm not leaving you, just like how you promised you're not leaving me. Why are you so worried?"

"B-but..." stumbled Steven, a few loose sniffles cutting off his speech as the tears threatened to fall again. Peridot felt a wave of remorse envelop her; whatever was bugging really had him down.

But she would do anything to make it okay.

"Steven. I'm not going anywhere. What could've happened that would make you th—"

"BUT THAT WAS BEFORE! We've been caught, Peridot! What if you don't want to stay..."

And just like that, the boy couldn't find it in him to say anymore as he sank down even further, the floodgates once again opening wide. Peridot, however, didn't react, her usual attempts to console him in a time of grief absent. He had provoked quite a storm in her mind.

Peridot knew there was no going back. Contacting Homeworld had proved to be all but impossible, as the Crystal Gems had constantly thwarted her attempts before she had met Steven. And now that she was essentially under their constant watch (even though she wasn't physically near them, being in such a close vicinity basically meant they could see everything), there wasn't even a point in trying anymore.

Her future belonged here, whether she liked it or not. On Earth.

 _"On Earth..."_

Peridot's eyes widened just like Steven's as the words crossed her mind. Although she had been resigned to the fate for a little while now, it only just began to sink in during this new development. This was it. There was no going back.

But one factor gave her the advantage: she had Steven through all of it. Whether the Crystal Gems were watching over her shoulder or not.

She couldn't believe how she almost told him to go away earlier.

 _"Steven..."_

With a light, almost inaudible exhale of the breath she had apparently been holding in, the former Homeworld gem reached her arms down to the crumpled, whimpering form of the boy, slowly lifting him up and pulling him tight in her warm embrace for however many times they had done so.

And then, with one final forced breath from his crying, he returned the hug.

"Peridot..."

"It's okay, Steven."

* * *

"What do you mean he's not coming back?"

Garnet sighed at Amethyst's repeated insistence on asking this question. She had already repeatedly answered it honestly; what reason did she have to believe her this time, for things to be different?

Still, it was worth a shot.

"Amethyst, he's not NOT coming back. He's going to live exclusively with Greg for a little while, so he can take some time to work everything out. He said he wasn't ready to stay with us again."

Amethyst frowned. "What are you talking about? Doesn't he trust us? Why would he not want to—"

"That's just it," interrupted Pearl, piping in for the first time. "You answered your own question."

"But... why..." As she desperately fumbled for a reply to Pearl's remark, the distorted, mixed thoughts in Amethyst's mind prevented her from showcasing how she felt about this whole situation. She could barely speak.

But she found a scapegoat.

"But why's he doing this for PERIDOT?!"

Now it was Garnet's turn to frown. "To be honest, I don't like it either, but we have no choice. It's either we let him stay with Greg for a little while, or he doesn't come back to Beach City at all. And he has to be with Peridot. That's what he told us."

Amethyst felt a sudden temptation to cover her ears, as a feeling of disbelief punctured her. "WHY, though? It doesn't make any sense! He should hate Peridot, after everything she tried to do to us! Why would he _ever_ be friends with her?"

Garnet adjusted her shades. "It's not important. Regardless of what happened between the two that caused them to grow close, it's undeniable that they've formed a powerful bond. You weren't there, but Steven threw himself in front of Pearl's spear with his shield to protect her."

Pearl grimly nodded. "I was aiming for Peridot's gem... if he didn't block my attack, I would've shattered it for sure. He saved her life."

Amethyst put her hands in her pockets and looked at the floor.

 _"Why would you do all this for her, Steven? Why are you so willing to be so nice to Peridot like this?"_

"Amethyst. It's because he's Steven. That's why."

Amethyst opened her mouth as she blinked. How did Garnet know what she was thinking? Thankfully for her, she didn't have to wonder for long.

"I could tell. We had the same question once."

* * *

As the neon sign for the appropriately named "It's a Wash!" car wash came into view, Steven felt himself tighten up. As if it was a subconscious reaction, Peridot's gaze immediately looked downward for any signs of distress. He waved his hand in the air.

"I'll be fine, Peridot. This is the place."

With a look of renewed curiosity (a feeling that had mostly waned since their little conversation on the beach), the gem visually scanned the area for any interesting gadgets and such that could possibly warrant future investigation. Much to her delight, she barely had to look; another one of those "car" things sat perfectly still in front of the building. There seemed to be a large amount of human artwork on the sides, portraying what appeared to be... the universe?

"Steven, what is this 'car' doing here? It seems different from the other one we saw. And what purpose do these drawings on the side serve?"

"This is my dad's van. If he isn't in the building, he's probably in there."

Peridot scratched the back of her head. "But it's a 'car', isn't it? What's a van?"

Steven ignored her question. As if on command, he suddenly felt his breathing slow down as his lips went dry. He knew what he had to do.

"Peridot... please step over there. Make sure he can't see you from those back doors."

The other gem squinted her eyebrows; once again, what was he so nervous about? Nevertheless, she complied with the request, taking several steps to the side, away from the back doors of the van.

Steven sighed. It was time.

He walked over to the back of the van. With a tingling feeling of apprehension holding him back, he slowly lifted his fist. _"Do it."_

BANG BANG!

"Amethyst? I was just looking through some maps, I think Steven might—"

"Dad."

Silence. Total silence. If Steven didn't know any better, he might've assumed that his father fainted inside the vehicle. Everything seemed to stand still.

And then, emerging from the quiet, footsteps. With a surreal, almost slow echo, they approached the back of the van from the inside. One. Two. Three.

The doors opened. Greg looked down.

"...?" He was shaking.

His son smiled.

"Hi, Dad."

* * *

 **I guess I have some explaining to do now, don't I?**

 **When I first wrote chapter 16, I had everything here combined with the chapter I posted yesterday, which is why it picks up exactly where the other one left off. After reading it over several times before publishing, however, I decided to split it; it felt, to me at least, that there was too much happening. It was almost starting to become a chore to read** **. Consequently, t** **hat's the reason why I'm posting two chapters (more like one and a half) in three, something I can all but guarantee will never happen again. (Sorry about that, lol. I write one chapter at a time, so I don't have any in reserve to do this again if I wanted to.)**

 **Anyways, that's about it. I hope you enjoyed this little surprise, and I'll hopefully see you next time.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	18. Chapter 18

**"Welcome, inmates," (like I said, I'm out of ideas for greetings) and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **Real life's becoming a punk. My free time has all but evaporated recently, with a ton of stuff going on in school and what not. I try my best to write quickly, but I won't rush out a chapter if I feel it isn't good. I know I've said this before, but I'll KEEP saying it, darn it! Laugh out loud.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

 _ **Flashback**_

* * *

 _ **The doors opened. Greg looked down.**_

 _ **"...?" He was shaking.**_

 _ **His son smiled.**_

 _ **"Hi, Dad."**_

* * *

Peridot waited for someone to say something, from her hiding place near the side of the van. Steven waited for his Dad to say something. And Greg felt his eyes grow wet as his voice caught in his throat.

"Um... Da—"

"STEVEN!"

Before he could even blink in surprise, the gem in question suddenly felt his entire form enveloped in a bone-crushing hug as his Dad jumped down from the van, sweeping him up in one quick motion. And then, as if he were on a dangerously fast-moving carousel, the world began to spin around in an endless loop. The only sound he could register through his increasing dizziness was the joyous laughter of his father.

"YOU'RE BACK! YOU'RE BACK! YOU'RE BACK!" said Greg, continually spinning Steven around in his hug. It was as if he were a child on Christmas, all the excitement leaking out after being trapped for so long.

"Yes, Dad, it's me, it's me!" replied Steven as he desperately attempted to be heard over the celebration. He failed.

Still, after nearly a minute of much of the same, Greg began to get a grip as he slowed his pace, putting Steven back down in the process. The young boy looked to be on the verge of throwing up from all that whirling around.

"Steven!" panted Greg, his exhaustion overtaking him. "Where did... where did you come from?"

"Uh... from—"

"Never mind that! It doesn't matter. All that does is that you're... you're finally... oh, Steven."

With a long lost smile finally reappearing after days of misery, Greg felt yet another pang of happiness as he kneeled down and once again wrapped his arms tight around his son. The young boy couldn't even dream of stopping himself as he hugged back, a small sigh of contentment escaping his lips.

"I missed you, Dad."

"... I missed you too."

As the seconds ticked by, both father and son remained as still as a statue, neither wanting to put an end to their blissful reunion, to the elation of being together again. This didn't stop their minds, however, from churning full-speed through the sea of emotions they were simultaneously experiencing.

Steven knew there was no deceit in the joy he felt being reunited with his Dad. It was the Crystal Gems that ultimately gave him the motivation to run away, and it was HIS choice at the end of the day, but it didn't take long after he left to realize his actions would have many ramifications, consequences that extended beyond himself and his guardian caretakers. And leaving his father was always going to be one of the hardest parts of going to through with his plan, no matter how he tried to dance around it. He missed him. And a few others.

 _"Yeah, like Connie... I'll go visit her in a few days or something."_

Greg, on the other hand, felt something shift within him, as if a wave of joy swept over the dry beach his life had become. The past few days had left an empty void, one that couldn't possibly be filled, and he knew he wasn't alone in this feeling. And it was all because of the disappearance of a very certain someone.

But in an instant, the void had been sealed. Steven was back. Where he'd been while he was gone wasn't important to him at the moment; the only thing that mattered was being with his son. No Crystal Gems around, no distractions, nothing. Just the two of them. Reunited at last.

At least, just the two of them until he looked up.

* * *

Peridot froze.

 _"The other human is making eye contact with me... I suppose the reunion between Steven and he has ended. Now let's see, he said earlier I'm supposed to introduce myself, so I should probably—"_

"Steven, isn't that... isn't that the gem you described for me? The one from HOMEWORLD?"

Peridot felt herself tense up again. Whatever reaction she had been expecting from him, it wasn't that. Of course, now that he knew who she was, he would probably-

"Get behind me."

"Wait, Da—"

"Steven, I mean it. You yourself said she's dangerous! What's she even DOING here?" asked Greg as he attempted to push his son behind his larger frame. Much to his surprise, however, the boy refused to budge.

"Dad, let me explain! Please!"

His request came just in time. Before doing anything reckless, Greg decided to spare another look towards the Homeworld gem; she didn't exactly appear threatening, at a quick glance. In fact, she almost looked... nervous? Scared? What was it? Was it a trap? _"Still, if he says he knows something..."_

"Steven, what's going on here?"

The gem in question breathed a sigh of relief at his father's sensibility. "Dad, I'm the reason why Peridot's here. I brought her because—"

"YOU BROUGHT THE GEM THAT INVADED BEACH CITY _BACK_ TO BEACH CITY? Why would you _do_ something like that?" interrupted Greg, catching Steven off guard with his loud tone of voice, while returning to his previous state of panic. Nevertheless, the young gem was determined to hold his ground.

"Dad, I... look. I have a story to tell. A long one."

Peridot sighed as she leaned against the side of the van. She didn't really know anything about the personality of the human Steven coined his "father", but after listening to his calm tone of voice, his stoic expression... she just had the strangest feeling everything would turn out all right. After all, Steven was protecting her. And if there was one thing the past few hours had taught her, it's that he was very, very good at it.

Greg sat down.

* * *

"... And that's why we're here."

As Steven wrapped up his lengthy recap of his experience on the road, Greg hadn't moved. His mouth hung open ever so slightly from what appeared to be shock, his eyes bulging just a touch.

"... Wait, wait, wait. So, if I have everything right, you met Peridot," he said as he gestured to the gem near the van, "in the Kindergarten. And you stayed with her for a while, and you two got to be best buddies."

Steven enthusiastically smiled. "Right!"

Peridot couldn't stop herself from smiling, either.

"So after that..." mumbled Greg, placing a hand to his chin. "You were caught by by Pearl and Garnet, and now both of you are going to live in Beach City... with me, since Peridot doesn't trust them."

Steven nodded again, this time at his Dad's correct analysis of his timelime. He had left out a few details from the fight between he and Pearl in the underground chamber, but other than that, the story was completely unabridged. _"I just hope it's enough to convince Dad to trust Peridot..."_ he thought as he took a deep breath.

"So... do you mind? If we stick around, I mean."

Greg thought for a moment, his gaze turning to the sand. It didn't take long for another big smile to appear.

"Oh, how can I say no?" he replied as he reached across and grabbed Steven, putting him in a gentle headlock and giving him a very light noogie, and earning a few small chuckles from the child. "Of course you can. I understand why you and... Peridot don't want to stay around the temple right now."

Steven tried to nod yet again, although it was difficult to do in the grip he was trapped in. After taking notice of this challenge, however, his father released him. "Thank you, Dad." _"I'm glad he trusts her so quickly, unlike..."_

"But, um, if we're both going to live here at the car wash and the van for a while... you two should get to know each other!" he smiled. "Peridot, come here."

"Huh?"

Steven grin didn't move as he waved her over. "C'mon! Don't be shy!"

Peridot pursed her lips. _"I guess I have to do this..."_ she thought as she stood up, slowly walking towards the two.

"Dad, this is Peridot. Peridot, Dad. Shake."

Greg held up his enormous hand. Peridot squinted.

"Um... Steven? What exactly am I supposed to do here?"

"Huh?... Oh, of course. You just gotta hold our your hand—or in your case, fingers—to start."

Although she still didn't have a general idea where this plan was going, Peridot nevertheless complied with his instructions as she slowly raised her robotic arm. Greg's eyes opened wide at the sight of her fingers.

"What the... where's the palm? And how are they floa—"

"What's next, Steven?"

The quartz gem smiled. "Okay, now you just have to grab my Dad's hand and shake! Your arm. Once or twice oughta do it."

With a painfully visible grimace, Peridot slowly moved her fingers to the gigantic waiting grip of Greg. Much to her relief, however, she didn't have to finish; Greg quickly grabbed her fingers and shook once. And that was that.

Peridot still cringed.

 _"I like hugging Steven, but some of these other human traditions are so... ugh. No thanks._ _"_

* * *

It took nearly a minute before the silence became too uncomfortable for Greg's liking.

"So, uh... Steven, have you eaten yet? It's starting to get late."

As if on cue, a loud rumble from the child's stomach all but answered the question for him. "No, not in a while, actually. I've been living on donuts and junk food the past couple weeks... kind of like normal. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was thinking we could go and grab something. Not really a celebration, but... okay fine, a celebration. For me, at least," mumbled Greg, taking care to be especially quiet at the end. "Is there anything specific you want?"

Steven put a hand to his chin. "Well... how about the triple five fifty deluxe with no cheese, from Fish Stew Pizza? Actually, scratch that. Add the cheese."

Greg laughed and ruffled Steven's hair, earning a few giggles from the recipient as well. "Ah, the old faithful! A wise choice."

"I've missed it too much."

Both father and son once again burst out into laughter. Peridot scratched her head.

"Okay... whew. I need to breathe... the TFFD?" asked Greg as he composed himself, his shortness of breath hindering his ability to speak.

"That's the one," gasped Steven, the intense bout of hysterical laughter from a moment ago clearly still affecting him as well.

"Gotcha. I'll just order it at the counter, I don't need to phone it in. Do you want to come along?"

Steven glanced at Peridot, who looked about ready to fall asleep despite sitting in an upright position. "Uh... no thanks. I'll stay with Peridot, you can go ahead. I promise we won't run away again."

Greg smiled. "You better not," he said as he gave Steven a pat on the back, standing up. He didn't exactly sound like he was joking, regardless of his body language.

"Well, I'll be back in an hour or so. Later!" said Steven's father as he began the trek into Beach City. As soon as the boy was sure his dad was out of earshot, he turned to Peridot.

"Peridot!"

"GAAAH! NOT THE—" screamed Peridot as her eyes snapped open. "Oh. Hello, Steven. Did I just, um, what's it called... fall asleep there?"

The boy nodded. "Uh huh. Sorry you've kind of been left out for a little while, me and Dad have just been... reconnecting."

"I see," nodded Peridot as she looked around the beach. "Just where is your 'father' at the moment, anyways?"

Steven squinted his eyebrows. "He went into town to get a pizza. You know, the thing I told you about that one day I said I missed with all my soul. Why?"

Much to his surprise, Peridot's response was not her typical stoic nod of the head or grunt, but instead a side-to-side grin, covering her whole face. "Wait. He's not here right now?"

"Uh... yes?"

With a quick glance around the area, she crossed her arms and almost leaned back, her grin remaining frozen in place. "Steven, I request permission to observe the human vehicle parked over there. In detail."

"What, the van? Why?"

"I've been curious to investigate how this vehicle works since I first saw it," said Peridot, "and now that the other human is gone, an excellent opportunity has presented itself. May I?"

Steven once again put a hand to his chin. It didn't take too long before he sighed.

"Oh, all right, but just for—"

"Thanks!"

And with that, Peridot was already on her feet and briskly jogging to the van, leaving Steven to cough in the trail of sand left behind. By the time he had cleared his vision, she had already yanked the back doors open, mumbling something to herself. He hesitantly stood up and followed behind.

"Um, Peridot?" he asked as he came close to the van, only to come face to face with the gem in question as she leaned out the back, their respective heads almost colliding.

"Steven! Glad you're here, please explain to me what the purpose of this device is," she excitedly questioned as she held up a very old-fashioned tape.

"That's a cassette tape. It's used to play, well, audio and stuff."

"Like a communication device? It seems rather large to have such a use."

"Well, not exactly..." came the muted reply as he climbed into the back of the vehicle as well. Peridot, with her remarkable impatience, placed the tape down and began to root through the glove compartment, throwing anything that didn't gain her interest on the floor.

"Insurance, insurance, insurance... what's the purpose of these?" she mumbled to herself while simultaneously tossing an owner's manual dangerously close to Steven's head (unintentionally, of course). It didn't take long for the contents of the container to empty.

"Well, that was a disappointment... what's that?!"

Without missing a beat, Peridot went straight from the glove compartment to the radio, without even bothering to ask what it was. It only took a moment of pushing buttons, however, for a look of annoyance to spread across her face.

"Steven! Why won't this device activate? Is it defective?"

"That's the radio. You use it to listen to stuff."

"Like a communications device? Or perhaps a 'cassette?' Do you use this to engage in dialogue with other humans in possession of similar devices?!"

Steven shook his head at her questioning, although he was starting to have a hard time understanding it. "Kind of, but not exactly? You know what, I'm sure you'll see later."

With his explanation apparently putting her curiosity to rest, Peridot finally took a deep breath as she moved her fingers away from the radio. Much to Steven's relief, she finally settled down after giving one last look at the dashboard, sinking into the driver's seat as she lowered her visor for a moment to wipe her forehead. "... Although archaic, this human technology really is quite fascinating. The most recent scouting reports I read said you were still working with some kind of 'cart' and 'horse' system for transportation."

"Um... that was a while ago. But I'm glad you like it, I guess," replied Steven, giving her exhausted form a small smile. "I think the coolest part is the emergency brake, though, listen to this cool nois—"

No sooner had he reached for the safety precaution than Steven felt every muscle in his body tense up. Rather than the brake, another sound instead filled the air, and not one he was exactly hoping to hear. It was the sound of the engine starting.

"Yes! It works!" laughed Peridot, her arms thrown maniacally in the air. Steven felt himself panic.

"Peridot! Turn it off! You don't even know how to drive!" he yelled. _"And why were the keys even in the ignition?! DAD!"_

"Nonsense! If I can pilot a highly sophisticated battleship from the Homeworld fleet, I can CERTAINLY manage this human vehicle, even without prior training! Now then, these pedals appear to be the primary controls."

As if she had done it a million times before, she slammed on the gas pedal. Steven braced for the worst.

The van remained still.

 _"Wait... if the tires aren't moving, then that means—"_

"C'mon, you miserable hunk of junk! Move it!" yelled Peridot as she angrily slammed her fingers against the steering wheel, blasting the horn in the process. Steven, on the other hand, felt an enormous wave of relief wash over him, for one reason only: the tires couldn't move because the car was placed in park. Seeing how was so uneducated in human technology, it was very unlikely she would be able to figure out why the car wouldn't work.

 _"Okay, now to convince her the car's broken or something, so she'll turn it off."_ "Hey, Peri-"

"Wait a second. This lever elevated next to the steering disk appears to be a central piece to the operation of the machine. Maybe if I do this..."

The car lurched backwards as she moved the stick to reverse. Steven once again prepared for the apocalypse.

"No, not that one... perhaps this option labeled 'D?'"

Peridot moved the gear stick and slammed on the gas pedal. Again.

* * *

"Ugh... I should've called in ahead of time."

As more and more time slipped through his fingers, Greg couldn't help but feel like a fool in his decision to not dial the restaurant before he arrived to place his order. He assumed Fish Stew Pizza wouldn't be very busy, but he was dead wrong: the place was filled to capacity, with the line almost going out the door. And there weren't any seats near the front entrance, either.

"Hey, who ordered the TFFD? Order number 133?"

With a sigh of relief, Greg began to push through the sizable crowd to reach the front counter to pick up his meal. "That's me."

"That'll be 18.75, sir."

Greg pulled his wallet out of his pocket, placing a twenty on the counter. "I assume this covers... what's that sound?"

Sure enough, a loud, mysterious noise slowly began to puncture the usual atmosphere of the restaurant, causing conversation to come to a standstill. Like nearly everyone else, he turned his head to the window as the sound grew louder.

He didn't have to wait long to discover what it was. It was a car, driving down the road near the building at a speed far beyond the legal limit. It was difficult to make out what it looked like, seeing how it went by in such a quick blur.

 _"You know, I could've sworn the side of that car said—"_

* * *

"PERIDOT! PERIDOT! PERIDOOOOOOOOOOT!"

Steven's panicked screams fell on deaf ears. Peridot's laughter and the constant screeching of tires drowned everything out.

"STEVEN, THIS THING'S GREAT! HEY, WATCH THIS!"

True to her word, Peridot was just about to drive over a corner when she began to furiously turn the steering wheel, executing a perfect U-turn and straightening out the vehicle before it could veer off the road, although he was still grazing the sidewalk. Steven held onto the armrests of the passenger seat for dear life, struggling to contain his nausea.

"PERIDOT, STOP THE CAR! STOP THE—WATCH OUT FOR DAD!"

That time, she heard him yell. With another sharp turn of the wheel, Peridot moved the vehicle to the middle of the street before it could bump Greg on the edge of the sidewalk, who had just started the process of jumping out of the way. A faint yell of "NOT MY VAN!" registered in Steven's ears as the restaurant became farther and farther away in the rearview.

"PERIDOT, STOP THE CAR! HIT THE BRAKES!"

"I HAVE NO IDEA HOW! NOT THAT I REALLY WANT TO, ANYWAYS!"

Not even a moment later, Steven's eyes bulged outward as a familiar jingle with only two lyrics penetrated the monotonous sound of tires and the occasional horn honk. "WATCH OUT FOR THE TRUCK!"

"WHAT TRUCK? WHAT'S A TRUCK?!"

"THE CAR WITH THE BIG HUMAN HEAD! UP THERE!"

With yet another display of masterful precision, Peridot swerved the van to the left of Mayor Dewey's truck just in time, only to immediately return the vehicle to the center of the road. "THAT WAS CLOSE, WASN'T IT? AHAHAHAHAHA!"

"PERIDOT! AT LEAST DRIVE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD!"

"WHICH SIDE IS THAT? LEFT?" came the reply as she moved the car into the left lane. Steven gave a loud, panicked yell, desperately pointing his fingers to the right while frantically waving his arms.

"NO, OTHER SIDE, OTHER—YOU KNOW WHAT, JUST DRIVE ON THE BEACH! NEXT EXIT!"

Once again, Peridot listened to Steven's instructions as she turned onto the beach from a nearby ramp (at dangerously high speeds, of course), exiting the residential section of Beach City. Steven breathed a sigh of relief, despite the continuing chaos; it was unlikely they would cause any major damage to people or buildings just by driving on the beach, rather than the heart of the town.

But there was just one tiny problem: Peridot was still driving.

Although it was difficult to concentrate, Steven nevertheless fumbled to come up with a way to get her to stop the car. He had already tried blunt persuasion, but it had done absolutely nothing. How could he convince her to calm down?

And then it hit him.

"PERIDOT!"

"WHAT?"

"LISTEN, THERE'S SOMETHING I FORGOT TO TELL YOU!"

"WHAT IS IT?"

Steven took a deep breath. He hated to lie to her, but there was no other choice. "WE HUMANS SUFFER FROM—WATCH OUT FOR THAT ROCK!" he yelled as Peridot scratched the side of the van against, you guessed it, the rock. "WE HUMANS SUFFER FROM... A DISEASE! YEAH!"

"I ALREADY KNEW THAT! SO WHAT?" yelled Peridot as she completed yet another U-turn. "AND I HAVEN'T HAD THIS MUCH FUN SINCE THAT ELECTRONIC SIMULATOR ON THAT 'PHONE' THINGY OF YOURS!"

"NO NO, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! THE DISEASE IS CALLED... UH... VELOCITATION!"

"WHAT DOES IT DO? WHY ARE YOU BRINGING IT UP?"

"IT'S BAD! IT'S WHEN WE MOVE AT FAST SPEEDS FOR MORE THAN... UH, FIVE MINUTES!"

Peridot furiously shook her head at this explanation, waving her arm to dismiss him. As she did so, however, her tire drove over what appeared to be some kind of sharp object protruding out of the sand, causing a sinister hissing sound to erupt. Steven knew exactly what it meant; he had to act quickly, or she would be driving around with only three tires. And if she tried to make another crazy turn...

"LOOK, IF WE MOVE AT FAST SPEEDS FOR MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES, THEN... THEN WE SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUST!"

"WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?"

"WE EXPLODE! LIKE, INTO FIRE!"

Peridot slammed on the brakes. The car screeched along the beach before coming to a standstill, sand and rock flying up everywhere. _"I thought she said she didn't know how to stop the car..."_ thought Steven as he collected his breath.

But that didn't matter. He had work to do.

"Steven! Did I stop the vehicle in time? Are you all right?!" asked Peridot as she looked to his crumpled form in the passenger seat. She expected to hear his usual affirmation of good health, but was instead surprised to see him unbuckle the restraining device attached to his seat as he pushed the door open. No sooner had he exited the vehicle then he went to the front of the car, holding some kind of strange object. And then, with a great tug, he lifted... what was he doing?

"Steven, are you o..." Peridot felt her voice trail off as vehicle suddenly grew quiet, the humming of the engine coming to a halt through no action of hers. It didn't take long to find out why: after lowering the protective covering of the front of the vehicle, Steven walked over to her window, holding some kind of box and the unusual looking human tool.

"Um... what did you just-"

"Peridot. Please don't do that again... and Dad's not going to be happy about the tire."

* * *

"So, uh... is it as good as you remember? Even if it is a little cold..."

"I guess..."

With concern creasing his face, Greg looked down at his son as he bit into just his second slice of pizza—highly unusual behavior from him, considering how big his appetite was. _"I guess the whole driving thing with the other gem really has him down... that reminds me."_

"Um, Steven? Where exactly is your friend right now? ˢᶦᶰᶜᵉ ˢʰᵉ ᵃᶫᵐᵒˢᵗ ʷʳᵉᶜᵏᵉᵈ ᵐʸ ᶜᵃʳ ᵗʰᵉ ᶫᵃˢᵗ ᵗᶦᵐᵉ ᴵ ᶫᵉᶠᵗ ʸᵒᵘ ᵗʷᵒ ᵃᶫᵒᶰᵉ⋅⋅⋅"

"Peridot? She's sitting over by the car wash. I think she's pretty upset," sighed Steven, placing his slice of pizza on a napkin as he leaned back into the sand. He released a sigh to the air.

Greg, on the other hand, scratched the top of his head. Ever since he replaced the tire and put the car's battery back in, Steven hadn't said a word; whatever he told her to get her to stop the car must have affected her pretty badly. Still, his son seemed just a little more receptive than he had been a few hours ago, so he decided to take a chance.

"Why?"

"... It's a bunch of reasons, really," said Steven after an extended pause. "For one thing, I think she feels guilty about going a little overboard with the van."

Greg gave a small smile to his son, which, to his dismay, wasn't returned. "Well, I'm glad she feels that way, but why was she so excited in the first place?"

"Dad, you don't know Peridot like I do. She's been on Earth for a while now, but she didn't really know anything about it until I told her some stuff. Now she's curious about everything, which is probably why she got so excited with the van."

"I guess that makes sense," said Greg as he nodded. "And I'll admit that U-turn she had back at the pizza place was pretty cool, even if I almost, well, died because of it. But Steven, she needs to realize that she needs to be more careful. Someone could've gotten hurt, and it's a miracle you two weren't pulled over by the police."

Now it was Steven's turn to nod. "I think she feels guilty about the whole 'taking your van' thing—I heard her mumbling an apology during the walk back here—but I think there's more."

"What else is there?"

"I think... I don't know, maybe because of what I told her to stop the car?"

Greg scratched his head once more, his other hand moving to his chin. "Just what DID you tell her?"

Steven stopped to ponder for a moment. "I told her... I said humans explode when they move really fast for too long."

As hard as he tried, Greg failed to contain his laughter at his son's explanation. "That's... I don't even know! That's a new one. But I still don't see how it convinced her to—"

"I had to put myself in danger to get her to stop. It was the only idea I could think of!" interrupted Steven, finding no humor in the situation. "But I shouldn't have lied to her like that. She got really mad the last time she thought I wasn't telling the truth. She'll probably need some time to cool off."

Greg's bout of chuckling immediately faded as the weight of Steven's words sank in. He had an excellent point; there wasn't really any other plausible explanation for why she would be so sad, mad, whatever. He didn't really know anything about her, but she certainly seemed more upbeat whenever she was around Steven. If he were to deceive her, to damage her trust in him somehow, it only made sense for her to be so affected.

 _"They really are close... why else would she, and for that matter he be so down?"_

* * *

Peridot wanted to scream.

She knew it was partially her fault for going so crazy with the human vehicle, but that didn't change fact: Steven lied to her. Again. Even though it was to protect the both of them—how was she supposed to know that tire exploded?—she still couldn't help but feel like it was a betrayal of trust. Kind of like the first time, back in the underground chamber.

That felt like ages ago.

"No, that's not it..." mumbled Peridot quietly to herself as she felt the fingers connected to her left arm tighten into a fist. "He was worried about the vehicle crashing, it makes sense... but still."

With an angry huff, Peridot leaned back further into the wall of the car wash, looking down at the cracked artificial surface. She needed time to think.

She didn't get much.

She didn't see him enter the building in the first place, but the human she could now identify as "Steven's Dad" surprised her by suddenly walking out the front door of the car wash, carrying... some kind of sound amplification device? Not to mention the other component, a device she couldn't even identify. And several long, multi-colored wires trailed behind as well.

"What could that be... a weapon?" whispered Peridot to herself as she stood up. She could hear Steven and his "Dad" having a conversation; she hid behind the van to eavesdrop.

"... Did you get the albums?"

"Oh shoot, I forgot! I'm not sure how, seeing how you need them... is there one in particular you want?"

"I don't know, anything to lighten the mood around here."

With a nod, "Dad" ran back into the car wash, leaving Steven by himself. Wasting no time, he began to connect several of the wires to the giant box of whatever-that-thing-was, as well as the second mystery device placed on top. It seemed to have some kind of strange arm extension, with a needle at the end.

Just as he was finishing his preparations, "Dad" came back holding a box containing several pieces of human artwork. Now Peridot was downright fascinated; what human ritual were they planning to do?

"So, what floats your boat? I've got the entire transcendental space rock-pile here."

 _"... Space rock?"_ thought Peridot.

Steven scratched his chin. "How about... I don't know, surprise me."

The other human smiled. Without a word, he reached into the box as he pulled our one of the pieces of artwork. It didn't stay that way for long, though; the picture was a ruse, a protective covering as he opened it from the side. She had to squint to see it in the darkness of Earth's night, but it appeared to be some kind of... black disk?

The questions only continued in Peridot's mind when he began to walk over to the giant box with the disk, placing the object on top of the second device, which, of course, was on top of the box. Not only that, but now he was moving the arm extension with the needle _onto_ the disk? What was his plan? What was the objective here?

Peridot had to know. She stepped out from behind the van just as the sharp point made contact with the disk.

"Um—"

* * *

"Um—AAAAGGGGHHH!"

Before anyone realized it, Steven, Greg, and Peridot suddenly felt rushes of adrenaline pump through them as the blaring music from the speaker destroyed the peaceful silence of a few moments ago. They all immediately sprang into action.

"DAD, DAD! THE RECORD, TURN IT OFF!" screamed Steven as Greg ran to the record player with his ears covered. Peridot, on the other hand, immediately pulled the boy close to her, while preparing her finger cannon with her other arm; it really was a weapon, wasn't it?

"PERIDOT! WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT!" yelled Steven as Greg yanked the cord out of the record player, killing the music on the spot. It took a few second for them to recover, but much to the relief of all three of them, the beach was once again quiet. Well, aside from the faint hum of Peridot cannon, prepped to fire at any time.

"STEVEN! What WAS that?" said Peridot as her grip on him tightened, her previous resentful emotions forgotten as concern for his well-being overtook her. Much to her surprise, he responded by wrapping his arms around her leg.

"Peridot, it's all right! Just a little mistake, we set the volume too high. There's nothing to be worried about."

Greg blinked. Even though she was pointing that weapon thingy at his beloved record player, Greg couldn't help but smile at the sight. _"She's protecting him..."_

Although a lack of trust was still plainly evident on Peridot's face, she nevertheless complied with his reassurance as she lowered her cannon. Still, her curiosity had once again reached the boiling point; answers were needed. "Steven, what are you doing? What's this device?"

Steven smiled and looked up to make eye contact, releasing his hug on her metallic limb. "We were just going to listen to music! And, well, we figured why not bring out the speaker?"

"Music? What's that?"

Greg put both his hands on his head as his mouth opened wide.

"You don't have MUSIC on Homeworld?!" Although she hadn't been expecting Steven's "Dad" to respond to her question, she nevertheless shook her head; she didn't even have a general concept.

With his suspicions confirmed, Greg chuckled as he turned a few knobs on the speaker to the left, while plugging the wire back into the record player. "Well, you've been missing out! Here, this song's a classic!"

Peridot moved to prepare her arm cannon once more, but could feel her fingers relax as soon as the "music" began again; she was pleasantly relieved to hear the sounds were much quieter this time around. Not just that, but the sounds themselves were... well, pleasant.

"Um... Steven, what is this that I'm hearing?" she asked. He gave her an even bigger smile than the one he used previously.

"Music, Peridot! I wanted to show it to you back at the Kindergarten, but my phone battery died! Isn't it nice?" he asked as he began to do some absurd jittering motion. "Wait, this part's my favorite!"

"It's okay, I suppo—hey!" Before she could do anything about it, Steven suddenly began to do some kind of thrashing motion in front of her legs, giggling all the way.

"C'mon, Peridot, have a little fun!" said Steven through his laughter. The other human began to laugh as well.

"Hey! Ste—STOP THAT! STOP THAT, I SAY!" she yelled, trying and failing to pick him up as he Artfully Dodged her each time she swiped her arms. "Steven, would you please—whoa!"

Before she could stop him from rolling right into her, Peridot felt herself lose her balance as Steven accidentally collided with her legs. She released a rather high pitched shriek as she fell like a sack of potatoes.

Steven laughed.

"Are you all right, Peridot?" he asked her in between intense bouts of happiness as she slowly sat up, grumbling to herself.

"Steven! Please watch where you're going!" she asked in the most serious tone she could manage, although a few chuckles escaped her lips. His laughter was oddly contagious.

"Sorry, Peridot, I didn't mean it!" said Steven as he stood up. With a grunt of annoyance, she hoisted herself up as well, wiping the sand off her limb enhancers once she was upright. "But how was that?"

"How was what?"

Steven smiled. "The music, silly!"

"Oh! Uh... it was all right, I suppose," shrugged Peridot. "Your unusual movements from a few moments ago distracted me, though."

"You mean my best dance moves?"

Peridot blinked and straightened her visor at his explanation. "Um... yes. Those."

"STEVEN! CATCH!"

Although the sudden shout startled him, Steven whirled around to face whatever object was incoming, tightly clutching a soft black case as it came hurling towards him. He squealed in delight, momentarily freaking Peridot out. She never heard him make that noise before.

"My ukulele! Thanks, Dad!" he yelled as he unzipped the case, admiring said instrument as he held it tightly. "I've missed you, old friend."

"... Ste—"

"Peridot, you have to check this out!" interrupted Steven as he slipped the strap over his head and onto his shoulder. He then proceeded to place his fingers in position on the neck of the ukulele as he strummed all the strings at once. "It's an instrument! It's what humans play music with. Here, watch this."

Without another word, Steven sat down on the beach as he cracked his knuckles. Although she wasn't sure why, Peridot sat down as well; what was he planning to do with that "instrument?"

She didn't have to wait long to get her answer. With the clearing of his throat, he moved his fingers up and down the neck of the instrument as he strummed, producing a melody. The noise caught her by surprise; she hadn't been expecting anything at all, really. This, however...

 _"It's... it's very nice..."_ thought Peridot as he progressed along, his song becoming more complex with each note. He really seemed to be hitting his stride, his play getting better and better the further he went.

She tightly clutched the sand, despite the fact she had no palm.

Peridot couldn't explain the sensation. She had never experienced what Steven called "music" before, aside from her horribly distracted attempt at listening to the loud box over there, but hearing him make those sounds on that "instrument"... she found herself eagerly anticipating whatever was coming next. It filled her with a sense of joy. It was a happy "music."

"Hey, you didn't forget me, did you?"

Peridot blinked as she snapped out of her thoughts, turning her gaze to what she assumed was Steven's "Dad." She was correct in her guess, but her eyes bulged open in surprise anyways; he was carrying what looked like a MUCH larger version of the "ukulele" Steven was playing.

With a big grin, Greg sat down and began to strum away on his guitar as well, combining his music with Steven's. After a second of getting a feeling for each other's songs, the two combined perfectly, forming one harmonious melody. It was like they were perfectly in sync, even though neither of them said a word.

Peridot looked on in wonder. Seeing music in person was very different, but just as enjoyable. Especially when it was Steven and his father playing.

Finally, after several minutes of—unbeknownst to Peridot—improvisation, Steven and Greg reached the final part of their song. With an intense little solo by Steven, they both prepared for the final note. They made eye contact and nodded. It was time.

TWANG!

Both father and son leaned back like rockstars on the stage, a big gust of wind causing the sand to swirl around them at the perfect moment. Steven couldn't keep it up for long, though; he burst out laughing after a few seconds, followed almost immediately by Greg.

"Well, how was that?" he asked as he sat up.

Peridot said nothing. Steven frowned.

"Um, Peri—"

And then, just like many times before, the boy suddenly felt himself dragged towards Peridot as she enclosed him a tight hug, her laughter echoing throughout. The temptation to cry was suddenly enormous; a few stray tears found their way down her face. "It was wonderful, Steven!"

"Heh, it was nothing! Thanks, though."

Peridot just smiled as she held him close, closing her water stricken eyes.

 _"You know, maybe living here in Beach City won't be so bad..._ _"_

* * *

As he looked on at the warm embrace between Peridot and his son, Greg felt something stir inside him once again. He had had a few second thoughts about Peridot really being a threat (aside from the whole van incident) when Steven told him he willingly brought her here, but now he had no doubts: she and Steven had formed a very strong bond. It was really quite the sight, their dedication and care for each other.

"Well, if you're happy, so am I..." he mumbled to himself, smiling.

"Do you want to try?"

Greg's train of thought was interrupted by Steven suddenly interrupting the quiet that had enveloped the beach, even though the question wasn't directed at him.

Peridot, on the other hand, pushed Steven away a little in response as she looked at him. "Try what? The 'ukulele?'"

"Yeah!" replied Steven as he nodded excitedly. "Go on, give it a strum!"

With excitement lining her face, Peridot eagerly held her arms out as Steven slipped the strap above his head, freeing himself of the instrument. She found she had a hard time holding it due to the fact she didn't have palms, but that didn't hold her back as she clutched the neck of the instrument.

"Okay, here I go!" she said as she lifted her finger high, ready to produce the same beautiful music she had heard just a few minutes ago. Steven and Greg sat cross-legged, with the young boy ready to burst into applause at her inevitable success. _"After all, if she could figure out the Rubik's Cube so quickly..."_

Peridot brought her finger down.

The first string snapped.

"... Oh. Steven, I think this wire's defective... sorry."

* * *

 **Always end on a joke. I've failed miserably at this throughout this story. Darn.**

 **Drive responsibly. I know the scene with Peridot driving the van is supposed to be funny, but don't try it at home. Ever.** **I'm sure none of you would, but I felt the need to put this in anyway. And in the event you aren't a driver yet (I only got my permit a few months ago)... yeah.**

 **Oh yeah, and just for reference, velocitation is when you drive at high speeds for a long period of time. After a while of doing so, your mind tricks you into thinking the car is moving slower than it actually is, so it can be very dangerous. It's not a disease, though, and it certainly doesn't make you explode.**

 **I had the scene with Steven playing the ukulele for Peridot planned for a while, but I couldn't do it earlier since he didn't have the instrument with him when he ran away. I shelved it until the timing felt right, and I thought it worked well in this chapter.**

 **Well, that's about it. See you all next time.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey howdy hey (lol), and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **Is the hiatus over yet? Seriously. Two breaks in the span of a few months... argh.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

* * *

"Oog... what time is it? I should probably—oh, my back!"

Greg was never one to swear out loud, but he had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from doing so as the pain of his awkwardly bent back set in almost immediately after sitting up. Sleeping in a van did have a few drawbacks, and positions were certainly among them.

 _"C'mon, this is like the third time this week!"_

Finally, after a few seconds of desperate stretching, an enormous smile appeared on Greg's face as an audible pop reverberated off the walls of the vehicle, heralding an end to the nightmare. With a small chuckle, he twisted his torso several times to ensure his back had been moved back into its proper position, a long held sigh of relief suddenly finding release.

"Okay, now that that's done, time to get the wash started..." he mumbled to himself as he opened the back doors of the van, revealing the darkened sky of early morning. A cold blast of ocean wind and trace amounts of salt pelted him from the face down as he rubbed his eyes to clear the drowsiness away.

"Steven? Are you awake yet?" he called. It was a futile effort, really; as he expected, no reply came from the dimly lit sands of the beach where his son lay fast asleep. The temptation to wake him was admittedly tantalizing, but he decided to leave well enough alone; he was probably exhausted from the day before, ESPECIALLY after that little car trip he had with his new friend.

With a slight cough racking his lungs, Greg walked to the car wash and yanked the door open, stumbling his way to the light switch. It took a few wild guesses to actually find the panel in the dark, but he eventually reached his target as his hand moved the lever upwards.

"—ACK!"

* * *

"Now let's see, this device probably connects to the—ACK!"

As a bright light suddenly flooded the room, Peridot's head snapped up as she frantically looked around for the source. She didn't have to search very long: there, near the front door of the building, was Steven's father.

For a few seconds, they both stared at each other rather awkwardly. Peridot noticed his eyes fall to the instrument she was holding.

"Um... hello, Peridot. I... I see that's my electric guitar you've got there."

Peridot gulped. She began to back away from him as she placed the guitar down, crawling as fast as she could towards the back wall of the wash. Her eyes were wide, her breath stuck in place. Greg frowned.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you! I just want to know what you're doing, that's all," he said in the most reassuring tone he could manage.

As the words left his lips, Peridot inexplicably felt a sense of... calmness, replacing the panic from just a moment ago. Her eyes, however, quickly scanned over his expression; it was difficult to tell what his true intentions were based on face value. Was his reassuring tone a lie? Was he mad at her, without showing it? She still didn't exactly know much about him, and Steven wasn't around to protect her if she were to get in trouble.

But then, almost subconsciously, her mind began replaying scenes from last night, how he played that song with him...

"I... I noticed this instrument was different from the others. I wanted to take a closer look."

Much to her surprise, his small frown turned itself upside down. He began to laugh. "Well, I guess I can't really blame you. I mean, that sucker's a beauty! I used to play it in all my live shows, back when I was THE Mr. Universe!" he said excitedly, raising him arm and banging his head once or twice like the rock star he used to be.

Peridot blinked.

"Um... what are you tal—"

"But that was a long time ago. Steven and I can tell you all about it later. For now, let's get the car wash running," he interrupted as he walked over to a control panel, flipping a few switches. "Hey... Peridot?"

Upon hearing her name, she sighed as she turned her head away from the guitar she once again began to admire. "Yes?"

"You said you were interested in human technology, right? Want to see something cool?"

* * *

Steven yawned. No sooner had he opened his eyelids, though, than he instinctively squinted, the ambush of the sun's beams too much to handle in the early morning. _"I guess waking up underground for a while can do that..."_

With a light groan escaping his throat, Steven cracked his neck, a rather impressive feat considering he was still lying down. "Morning, Peridot."

The only reply he received came from the howling winds and crashing waves. The sound of what he guessed to be a large splash of water echoed nearby.

"... Peridot?"

As Steven sat up and shook his sleeping bag off of him, he turned every which way to look around; his friend was indeed nowhere nearby. "Strange, she was lying right next to me when I went to sleep... where did she go?" he said to himself as he stretched his arms high in the air. "She seemed pretty tired as well... but maybe she went to go do something? I hope it's nothing with the van..."

Finally, after a few moments of sweeping all the sand off his sleeping bag, the first sight his eyes laid to rest on was the car wash, the activated neon sign displaying the name loud and proud. The jet of water coming out the garage was a nice touch, too.

Steven froze.

"Wait a second, that didn't seem... AND WHERE'S THE VAN?!"

* * *

"Be careful with that! It's extremely dangerous!"

"Sorry, Mr. Universe! I suppose I... _accidentally_ set the switch to jet again. I'll turn it down a bit."

"Thank you. This automatic cleanser is new. We can use the van as a test, but I don't want to accidentally destroy it. Again."

With a nod, Peridot pursed her lips as she once again pressed the small blue button, causing the previously powerful stream of water to gently make contact with the van. Although it was still enjoyable enough to sample this "new technology" for the VERY first time, as he said, it just wasn't the same as, well, driving the car she was washing.

Just as she was about to offer the controls back to Greg, a flashing red button in the top left corner of the dashboard caught her attention. She had an idea.

"Mr. Universe?"

"Peridot, I've told you a million times, you can call me by my first name, Greg. But, uh, what do you need?"

His hand tightened as he saw her face morph into a small grin. "If you don't mind, I'd like to sample this button up here. It looks fascinating," she said as her finger moved to press the control in question.

Greg gagged.

"NO NOT THAT O-"

"DAD!"

If the panic level wasn't high enough already, Greg could feel his heart skip a beat as the door to the car wash suddenly burst open, revealing a panting and wide eyed Steven. To his eternal relief, however, he saw his son's unexpected appearance caused Peridot to move her finger away from the button as she too took note of their new guest.

"Dad, what's going on?! I saw the water! Did the pipe explode again? You remember what happened last time!" he gasped as he glanced around, his mouth ironically going dry at the sight of the drenched walls, the dangerously wet floor, and... the van?

 _"Oh, so that's where it went... I guess that means Peridot isn't driving it around again, thank goodness. But then—"_

"Hi, Steven!"

With a inaudible gasp, the boy's head quickly shot to the source of the familiar voice, his hopes rising. A smile spread across his face as he made eye contact; it was indeed the gem on his mind, who apparently came to the car wash sometime last night. For what, only she knew.

Still, Steven couldn't help but tap his foot, impatience quickly taking control of his emotions. While he was very relieved to have found Peridot safe at the wash, there was still the question about the water shooting out from the open garage door, as well as why the room was soaking wet. What happened here?

 _"Wait a second. The van's parked in the middle of the room for a reason. Does that mean...!"_

"Aw Dad, did you let her try the new Multi Angle All Cars & Trucks Power Shower? You said I would get to be the first to use it!" he yelled as he stomped his foot on the ground. Greg chuckled and rubbed the back of his head.

"Uh, sorry about that, Steven. But well, you did kind of run away the day it was installed... besides, you said Peridot liked human stuff, and she was poking around the building, so...?"

During this little exchange, nobody noticed the hose connected to the ceiling position itself directly above Steven. Peridot stifled a laugh.

"Well, I guess I understand... but at least let me hit the red button. Just once, and never again. Please."

"Hey, Steven."

He turned his head to look at her, a very sad mistake. "What?"

* * *

Greg gave his son a pat on the back as he once again rubbed the towel on his own head. "That was some fight, huh?"

Steven giggled as he hugged him in response. "You bet. I think we got her pretty good."

"You wish. I easily bested you clods. At least, I would've if my stupid hose wasn't defective."

Now it was Greg's turn to laugh at her excuse for losing the second hose war he ever participated in. "Are you kidding? Your hose worked fine. For the most part, you were just diving around, trying to dodge us the whole time. I'd say the score was about fifty seven to three, right Steven?

The boy nodded. "Right." Peridot groaned.

"Well, I... I don't like getting wet, all right? Maybe I didn't want to participate. I was, oh, what do you humans call it... blackmailed, um, against my will! Yeah! I was forced to play."

"Well, you started it," laughed Steven. "Consider the consequences next time." Peridot grumbled some illegible response as she threw her four towels upon her head, while taking a fifth to dry off her arm enhancers.

"... So, Steven," said Greg, after a few minutes of relative peace. "It's about one in the afternoon. How about we grab some lunch?"

"That's a great idea!" replied Steven, his face lighting up. "Let's head down to Beach Citywalk Fries and get the bits, y'know?"

"You bet, kiddo. Say, Peridot, are you going to come along?"

"Hmm?" said the gem as she finally removed the towels from her head, the familiar triangle of her hair springing back up almost immediately. "My apologies, Mr. Uni... Greg, what did you say?"

"I said, we're about to go into town to get a bite to eat," he repeated. "Do you want to come?"

"Um... I'd rather not."

Much to her dismay, Steven's face transformed into a mixed look of horror and, well, dismay as he fell to the sand, slowly crawling to her metallic feet and holding on tight. "Nooooooooo... you have to come! There's so much to see! You'll like it, I swear. At least, if Frybo isn't around."

With a great struggle making itself known, Peridot turned her attention away from the ground and towards Greg, secretly hoping for some kind of clue to put an end to his hypnotic spell. Again to her dismay, he merely shrugged his shoulders and offered a sheepish smile.

"C'mon, Peridot! Please? Please please please please please please please please—"

"ALL RIGHT! Fine! I'll go! Just... just stop using your strange trickery on me. I beg of you."

"YES!" shouted Steven as he shot to his feet, giving an enthusiastic fist pump to the sky. "Success! Let's go!"

And with that, he took off down the beach, almost tripping over his own feet in the process. Peridot wasn't the least bit amused as she looked towards Greg, who had begun walking back to his son.

"Has Steven always been good at forcing you to do things you don't want to?"

"You mean begging? Very. You should've seen him when he wanted the red button installed in the car wash a couple months ago."

Despite the seriousness of the situation (in her mind), Peridot grinned at the mention of the mysterious technological wonder. "Say, that reminds me. Greg, just what DOES that button do?"

Greg felt beads of sweat line his forehead. "Um... I'm not at liberty to say at this time. I'll I WILL say is it makes the room become very wet, very fast."

Peridot's fingers fidgeted.

* * *

"So, um, where exactly is this place? Away from the remainder of the human settlement, hopefully?" said Peridot. She sounded as if didn't have any control of her jaws.

"Actually, it's downtown, right next to the pizza place we drove by. And why are your teeth chattering? Are you cold?" said Steven as he looked at her. "Here, borrow my sweater!"

"No, Steven, I'm not cold, you can keep your 'sweater,'" Peridot hastily replied, grabbing hold of his shoulders to stop him from removing his second shirt just before he could pull the collar over his head. "I'm fine. No need to worry."

"Okay..." Although she had directed her gaze away from him, Steven continued to stare at his friend for a few moments afterward.

 _"I don't know... something doesn't seem right."_

After a few more minutes of walking, Steven's concern all but evaporated as the large signage depicting the cup of french fries came into view. Enthusiasm coursed through him as the restaurant became oh so tantalizingly close.

"Look, there it is! Gee, I haven't been here in a long time."

Greg chuckled as he ruffled Steven's hair. "Well, you're here now! You ready?"

"Heck yeah! How about you, Peridot?"

Steven received no reply. The sound of teeth lightly colliding with each other filled the air.

"Um... let's go now."

* * *

"Welcome to Beach Citywalk Fries, how can I-oh, Steven! Long time no see!"

Steven smiled as he leaned over the counter of the restaurant, offering a high five to his friend. "Hey Peedee! How's the business going?"

"Oh, it's been great!" replied the fry salesman as he reciprocated Steven's gesture. "My dad said profits are up about... ah, I forget the number, but it's pretty big! But enough from me, what about _you?_ You haven't visited in weeks."

"Me? I've just been... away. For a little while," he said as he glanced to the side, his gaze softening as he looked at Peridot shakily leaning against the wall. "But I'm here now! And I'm sure you know what I'm about to ask for."

Now it was Peedee's turn to give a big grin, exposing his missing tooth in the process. "You got it! Two orders of the bits."

As the young worker turned his back to the window, Steven quickly glanced around the boardwalk; it didn't seem anyone else was around. With a sigh of relief escaping his lungs, he looked over at Peridot at the far end of the beach, hoping the emptiness of the area would help calm her down a little bit.

His breath caught again.

No matter what she said to reassure him or convince him otherwise, there was no denying it anymore: Steven knew that Peridot was most certainly _not_ all right. It wasn't just her teeth shaking anymore; her whole body was wracked with intense trembles as she sat propped up against the building, having adopted the fetal position. It was hard to see due to her head being buried in her arms, but based on the occasional jerking of her shoulder blades, he knew she was crying.

"O-kay, got your bits right here!" yelled Peedee as he returned to the counter, crashing Steven's train of thought. "That'll be... oh forget it, this one's on the house. As usual."

"Thank you, Peedee," sighed the recipient of the fried deluxe as he grabbed the cardboard packaging off the counter top. Compared to the joyous tone used by his friend just a moment before, the other boy suddenly felt a sense of nervousness. He wiped his forehead.

"Hey... Steven? Are you okay? You seem kinda—"

"I'm fine, Peedee, trust me," interrupted the gem, forcing a smile. "We're just gonna take this to go. Have a good night."

"Uh... goodnight?"

With business settled, Steven turned and immediately walked to the crumpled form of his friend, whose sobs only increased in frequency as he came closer. Without a word, he set the fry bits down and kneeled next to her, wrapping his arms around her torso. He felt her tense up in his arms.

"Peridot, we're going back to the car wash. We don't have to stay here, I promise."

Although she opened her mouth to say something, the only response he got came in the form of hacking coughs and loud wheezes, the floodgates continually opening wider all the same. "St-Steven..."

And then, with yet another sharp gasp of desperately forced air, Peridot tightly grabbed the boy and brought him even closer, resting her head on his shoulder as her arms shook uncontrollably. She felt a few more stray tears leak out of her eyes as he began to rub her back. "It's okay, it's okay..." he whispered, over and over again.

"Steven!" said a voice from behind the two as the echo of footsteps punctured the sounds of Peridot's muffled sobs. He didn't need to turn around to realize it was his father. "Wh-what's going on here? Why is she-"

"I don't know, Dad, but it doesn't matter, We're going home," interrupted Steven as he stood up, trying without success to pull Peridot up, to make her stand on her feet as well. He lightly shook his head as he felt a drop of sweat streak down his face.

 _"What's going on?"_

* * *

"How are you feeling?"

"I don't know... a little better, I guess."

Not satisfied with her admittedly vague answer, Steven gently squeezed her fingers as he leaned into her side, a gesture she gladly returned as she wrapped her arm around his shoulder. Try as he might to fight it, he couldn't help but smile.

But he knew there was no dodging around the problem anymore.

"Peridot."

"Yes?"

Steven took a deep breath. "Please... tell me what's wrong."

For a few moments, the beach seemed to stand still. The crashing of waves against the sand suddenly produced no noise, the chirping of birds fading into oblivion, to never be heard by anyone. It felt almost... supernatural.

"Steven, I... I can't."

"Why not?" Steven broke off the embrace, quickly jumping to his feet to meet her eye to eye. "Peridot, I only want to help you! Dad wants to help you too, he was the one who ran back here to get the van so you wouldn't have to walk through town again! Why can't you tell us what's bothering you?"

Peridot furiously shook her head as she tried to push him away. "Steven, I told you, it's nothing! I'll be fine!"

"No, it's NOT nothing! You've never had a Panic Attack like that before, not even when Pearl and Garnet found us! Whatever's bothering you, just... Peridot?"

As hard as he tried to keep up his angry tone, Steven nevertheless felt his voice trail off as Peridot's head slowly sank. A sharp pang of guilt ran through him as he slowly walked to her.

"Peridot, pl—"

Even though she had done nothing different, he caught his own tongue as his mind suddenly felt sharpened. Everything clicked into place.

Hiding in the Kindergarten, an isolated area. Trying to stop him from going to Beach City for supplies. Not wanting to go into the Big Donut. Her fear of him returning to the life he had before he met her, even though she said she'd stay by him. It all connected perfectly, like the pieces of a puzzle.

"Peridot... why are you scared of us?"

* * *

"Peridot... why are you scared of us?"

Peridot froze.

"What... what do you mean?"

Despite the endless protests from her mind, she forced her neck to operate as she lifted her head. The streaked and blurry condition of her visor didn't help, but she could still see his incredulous expression.

"I mean of _us._ Humans. Why are you so nervous to be here in Beach City, now that you know the Crystal Gems won't bother you?"

A lump made itself known in Peridot's throat as she tried to force some reply, to make up some lie denying what he knew was the truth. Deep down, however, she knew it was hopeless. Truly.

He was right.

"... Steven... you just don't understand."

Steven flinched. With grief welling up in his mind, the child kneeled and placed his hand on her metallic leg. "What, then? What is it that I don't understand?"

Peridot voice suddenly felt itself go mute as she glanced around the beach, secretly hoping for Greg, or for Homeworld, or for some giant ocean monster—ANY kind of distraction to put an end to this conversation, to spare her the humiliation that was sure to follow. None came.

 _"Of course. Why not?"_

"Steven... I haven't been here for very long. In fact, if you recall, the only reason I came to Earth at all is because I attacked this town with a ship from Homeworld's fleet, and while the intention was only to destroy the Clods, it seems like we came pretty close to striking the rest of the settlement as well."

"...And? What your point?"

Peridot impatiently waved her arm. "My point is, your father first recognized me as the 'gem that invaded Beach City,' so who's to say everyone else here won't see me like that? What'll they _do_ to me?!" she cried out, shrillness and panic making itself plainly evident once again. Steven crawled to her sunken form to console her yet again.

But she wasn't quite done yet.

"And what'll they do to _you,_ too?"

* * *

Steven fidgeted his feet, his breathing once again resuming its normal pace. Rather than embracing her in his usual hug, he instead leaned back in the sand.

If what she was saying was true, Peridot's concerns were completely unfounded. While everyone in the town knew about the whole ship invasion thing—who could forget that giant hand in the sky?—they were in the dark when it came to who actually did it. But that wasn't really important in any event, and for a very simple reason: Steven knew everyone in Beach City. He knew their personalities, their interests, all that stuff, meaning he could make a fairly accurate prediction to how they would react to Peridot. And with one hundred percent certainty, he was confident that, in time, they would easily accept her into the tight knit community they had built over the years. It probably wouldn't even be that difficult. Her fingers floated, after all. That was pretty cool.

And, of course, that also meant they wouldn't do anything to him personally if he was seen hanging out with her in public. Well, maybe Lars would make fun of him, but he kind of hated everyone.

She was worried about nothing.

 _"Well, that was easy,"_ thought Steven as he suppressed a small laugh of victory. He began to open his mouth to assuage her concerns when he once again stopped himself. He snapped his fingers.

 _"It would be easy to just tell her people would like her and stuff, but would she really believe it? Probably not... but I have an idea."_

"Peridot, we're going for a walk."

* * *

 _"A walk?"_

For a second or two, Peridot felt as though she misheard him. His reply was so far off base from what she had been expecting that it almost didn't seem like it was real; was this some kind of trick?

"Steven, what do you—"

"You heard me. C'mon, let's get going," he reaffirmed as he stood up, offering his hand. She didn't move to grab it.

"But... why?"

As if it was a surprise attack striking her down, a feeling of both dread and excitement inexplicably collided in Peridot's gut as she saw him smile. "You'll see," he said as he reached his arm out further.

Despite her mind once again objecting to what she was about to do, Peridot released a long held groan as she grabbed hold of his hand, allowing him to hoist her back on her feet. She gently brushed the sand off her limb enhancers. "Fine, I'm up. But if you think I'm going back there—"

"Relax, that's not what we're doing. We're going _away_ from the town, not into it. I want to show you something."

And with that, he turned around and walked down the beach, without so much as a word to his napping father, trapped in a deep sleep inside the van. A strange hesitation struck Peridot as her metallic feet refused to lift off the ground.

"Why am I doing this..."

* * *

"Doesn't the moon look nice?"

Steven could tell Peridot wasn't exactly in a conversational state of mind, but he felt an obligation to try anyways; why not lighten the mood just a bit? It would only serve to help his objective later on.

And it was a very important objective indeed.

Peridot looked to the perfect crescent above, brightly lighting both the night sky and the earth below. "It's... okay, I guess. I've seen far more spectacular planets, though."

"Really? Like what?"

"Have you never been to space before?"

Steven scratched his head as he slowed his walking pace. As soon as he began to contemplate his reply, the memory of Pearl almost getting the two of them killed through her obsession with reaching the stars came flooding into his mind. "Uh... no. Why?"

It was hard to see her face in the darkness, but Steven felt his heart rise just a touch as Peridot gave a small, yet sincere laugh. "Well, I guess that explains your curiosity. I've seen many worlds before, some large, some small, and some in between. There was even one that—"

"But have you ever seen a planet like Earth?"

Peridot stopped. "You mean a polluted, dustball-esque—"

"No, no, that's not what I meant! I mean, have you ever seen a place that has people like... actually, never mind. You wouldn't understand right now." He once again began to walk down the long row of trees. _"But I hope you will soon..."_

For the next few minutes, Steven and Peridot fell silent as they continued their march, although only the quartz gem knew where they were going. _"Where are we going?"_ thought the latter as she nervously glanced around. _"All that's nearby is this big hill..."_

"Here."

"Huh?" said Peridot as she once again looked around the area. "Steven, why are we stopping? Where's this thing you want to show me?"

"It's right here! This is what I wanted you to see," he said as he took a seat while beckoning her to join him. "Isn't it nice?"

"What? The moon? You already asked me this."

Steven giggled as he lightly slapped his forehead. "No, silly, although that's nice too. I'm talking about the town! Down there!" He pointed to the beach below, causing Peridot's attention to do the same.

She sat down.

Steven grinned as he glanced at her softening expression, the lines on her face slowly fading as her eyeballs scanned the area; he couldn't have asked for a better night to show her this sight, nor for a better moment. Even though they were elevated high off the ground, the lights of the illuminated Beach City contrasted perfectly with the starry sky above, creating an almost dream-like illustration, a perfect painting. The bright white glare of the moonlight shining down on both the hill and the sands of the beach only added to the sense of mystique.

"Steven... why are you showing me this?"

The boy took a deep breath and clapped his heels together a few times. "I first came up here a little while after the ship crashed, and I remember how... cool it looked. It was different back then, with all the rubble down on the beach, but it made me think. I was kind of hoping it would give you a similar reaction."

Peridot once again looked towards the city. _"It's... perhaps..."_

"Peridot." She turned to look at him.

There's another reason I brought you up here, and I thought having all of Beach City down there would make this the perfect spot. I want to make a promise."

"A promise?"

He nodded. "That's right, and it's from me to you."

The only sound that followed was the swirling of wind through the treetops and the crashing of waves. The suspense was quickly proving to be too much; Peridot's fingers anxiously became discombobulated as she waited for him to continue. It didn't take long for her to crack.

"Well, what is it? What's the promise?!"

Steven responded by clearing his throat, while holding up his left hand in an oath. "Peridot, I promise you that, no matter what happens next, I'll be there for you every step of the way. AND, I also promise that you'll really, really, REALLY like it here once you get to know everybody and you get used to life here. Trust me, everyone here is nice, I would know. You don't have to worry."

Peridot trembled, the tension in her limbs suddenly disappearing in an instant. It was almost miraculous how his words made everything seem... okay. She didn't exactly need it, but it was yet another reminder why she had grown so attached to him, why she felt so safe. It wasn't because he was just her ticket to dodge the Crystal Gems, but because she knew he was going to protect her. Always.

She was going to be all right.

"Steven... I—"

"Oh, how could I forget!" exclaimed the boy suddenly, shaking his head as he held out his right fist with his smallest finger exposed. "We can't have a promise without pinky swearing on it, can we?"

"Um... pinky swear? What's that? And what's a pinky?"

Steven smiled, stifling a chuckle at her confusion. "A pinky swear is when you take your little finger and wrap it around another person's, like this!" To demonstrate, he crossed his pinkies and tightly grabbed hold of the other. "See? Now you and me do this!"

His smile didn't move as he held up his hand. Peridot moved her small floating finger to his. Slowly. Slowly.

 _"Wait a second."_

She came to a halt. An expression of elation crossed her face as an idea fermented in her mind, growing by the second.

"Steven, please give me a moment."

And with that, the finger moving towards Steven suddenly retracted as it returned to its original position. Steven looked crestfallen; was she going back on this agreement? Did she not want to believe him when he said that everything would be okay? He didn't have to wait very long; his anxiety quickly transformed to confusion as she moved her finger to her elbow. She hesitated.

"Peridot, what are you—"

Before he could finish, Peridot stopped him cold by pressing down on what appeared to be... a button? Whatever it was, it was causing her whole arm to light up. Her fingers dropped to the ground.

"Wh-what the?! Peridot! What are you doing?"

She didn't answer his increasingly frantic demands for information as the remainder of the attachment fell off. With a thud, the piece of metal fell to the ground, a trail of smoke following close behind. Steven put his hands on his head as his jaw dropped to the floor.

The floating fingers and metallic arm were no more. In its place was instead a shorter, organic limb, complete with a palm. Steven's voice mysteriously disappeared.

"Ugh, just... give me a little more time. I don't like the lack of balance." Peridot set to work removing her other limb enhancer soon after, performing the same operation until her other natural arm was exposed.

As the last robotic arm piece finally removed itself from her body, she gave a small laugh as she stretched her limbs. Although she didn't like being seen outside of them, it felt good to be out of the enhancers every now and then, even though it was just for her arms.

"Okay, Steven, I'm ready for this 'pinky sw'—Steven?"

Peridot waved her hand in front of his frozen face. He didn't move. "Uh... Ste—"

"OH MY GOSH, THEY WEREN'T REAL THE WHOLE TIME? I ALWAYS THOUGHT YOUR FINGERS JUST, I DON'T KNOW, FLEW! THAT'S SO COOL, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN—"

"Steven, Steven! Calm down!" Peridot placed her hand on his mouth to shush him up. "They're called limb enhancers. I don't like to take them off very much, but since one of my touch stumps in necessary..." She smiled as she held out her right hand, tightly clenched.

"I thought this could be our little secret. But you have to 'pinky swear' not to tell anyone."

Her little finger popped up from her fist. Steven stared at it like some kind of precious light, scared it would disappear if he moved to touch it. "Peridot..."

"C'mon, Steven. We don't have all night."

His fist slowly moved to meet her own, his smallest finger outstretched. He paused.

"... Promise?" he whispered.

"Promise."

They both smiled as their pinkies locked.

* * *

"... Hey, Steven?"

"Yes?"

Peridot briefly turned her gaze away from the orange and yellow lights of Beach City to look at him. "What exactly is the purpose of a 'pinky swear', aside from the value of the other's word? Is it some kind of bound allegiance? Is there some sort of file representing our agreement? Or perhaps even— "

The boy laughed. "You know, Peridot, I don't really know. But I think it's mainly like, you know, a bond. Between the two of us."

She smiled as she looked back down the hill, her eyes coming to rest on the moonlit beaches and the endless crashing waves of the ocean below.

"Yes. You're right."

* * *

 **And cut.**

 **I wasn't lying when I said it would be unlikely I would include the limb enhancers earlier in the story. I didn't have any idea what to do with them at the time, so I kind of left them out, waiting for a good chance to add them later. This little scene came to my mind while I was writing this chapter, though, and it was just too perfect to pass up.**

 **Well then, I guess that's another chapter in the books. I'll see you all later.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey everyone, and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **You know... yeah. This is usually the part where I complain about having nothing to say. On with the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

* * *

"You know it won't do any good to stay frustrated, Pearl. We have a mission to do, and we need to focus."

Pearl said nothing as Garnet placed a hand on her shoulder, her attention firmly fixed on the dark clouds accumulating outside the window. The pitter-patter of torrential rain echoed all throughout the house; it was very fitting in a way, helping to further what could be described as nothing but a gloomy, even miserable atmosphere. Both gems knew why.

"Pearl..."

"I get the message, Garnet," growled the gem as she shrugged the other's hand away. "I know it isn't good for me to be upset all the time, but—"

"But nothing. Steven made his choice, and that's final. We're just going to have to live with it. It's been almost a week now, we should stop making things worse than they already are."

Pearl inaudibly huffed as she swiveled around on her couch cushion, coming face to face with Garnet for the first time. "But WHY, though? What good does he think will come from allowing Peridot in Beach City? For that matter, what good do _we_ think will come from allowing Peridot to run free with him at all?"

"It's something about her, I guess." Garnet walked over to the counter, taking a seat on one of the high stools. "He obviously sees something we don't. But you know we can't do anything about it, Pearl, whether we want to or not. We can't afford to alienate him against us more than he already is."

"I know... but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

Garnet grimly nodded as she leaned against the countertop, crossing her legs as she stared up at the ceiling. "I don't like it either... let's get going."

* * *

"It looks like the rain's letting up. Do you want to go soon?"

Steven leaned back in the passenger seat as he propped his feet against the dashboard, his eyes struggling to make out the recently drenched beach through the rainy, obscured window of the van. Since the wipers weren't turned on, the windshield didn't prove much better, either. "I guess... but first thing's first. Peridot, you're sure you don't want to come?"

"Positive. I'd rather stay behind, thank you very much." And with that, she opened the back door of the van and hopped out in the rain, walking to the car wash and seeing herself inside. She didn't even bother to look back.

"Okay... I guess that's a no. You'll just drop me off then, right?"

Greg nodded. "You got it. Be sure to call me when you're ready to get picked up, okay?"

"Sure thing." Steven buckled his seatbelt as he activated the van's radio, twisting the dial until he found a classic rock station. "Let's go."

Greg felt hesitation take a strange, almost surreal grip on his leg as he slowly backed out of the driveway of the car wash, taking extra care to avoid any noticeable puddles as he switched the car to drive and began to cruise forward. As he pulled into the maze of streets constituting Beach City, his fingers nervously tapped the wheel.

"Dad? Are you okay?"

Greg didn't move his eyes from the road as he heard the volume of the song on the radio decrease. "Huh? Oh... I'm fine," he mumbled. "Just fine."

 _"This isn't going to end well..."_

* * *

"Amethyst, Garnet and I have a mission to go on. Stay back and watch the house, okay?"

Amethyst pretended she didn't hear the other gem as she took another sip from her soda. A loud burp quickly followed, but she just didn't feel the normal joy or contentment she normally experienced from eating or drinking; it was a little difficult to feel anything at all, really.

Well, aside from emptiness. That was in ready supply.

"AMETHYST!"

"I HEARD YOU, PEARL!" she yelled down the stairs, frustration quickly breaking free. "Go ahead and go on your mission. I'll be fine."

Pearl slowly nodded once. "Thank you. I'm sorry we have to leave you behind, but watching the house during a dangerous mission is usually Steven's job, and, well—"

"You don't need to remind me he's not here." Amethyst leaned against the front of Steven's bed, staring deep into the blank screen of his television. She could almost feel herself cringe at her reflection, her reddened eyes in particular. "Have fun."

Pearl said nothing as she walked out of sight, the sound of the warp pad quickly replacing the noise her footsteps created. As the intense light faded away after a moment or two, Amethyst walked downstairs and tumbled on the couch, rolling onto her side as her eyelids began to droop.

 _"Have fun... yeah right..."_

* * *

Steven looked up. He almost had to force himself to.

If he were asked to go into great detail about it, Steven would probably say that the large statue overlooking the temple had always been one of the landmarks of his life, something he had known for as long as he could remember. After all, he practically saw it every day until recently, and he knew every little detail about it. It had always been a commanding presence, a tall beacon of protection and hope not just to Beach City, but all of humanity.

But today, looking at the statue felt like staring into the jaws of a shark.

Although he knew as soon as the thought came to his mind that it was an impossible plan, Steven couldn't help but wonder for a brief moment if it was too late to back out. He hadn't told the gems he would be visiting today, after all; would it really do that much to harm to anyone if he just called his dad, explained the situation, and returned to the car wash?

Steven knew deep down he wouldn't be able to do that. His cell phone battery was still dead. It was time.

 _"Here we go..."_

Even though the stairs had no handrail, Steven imagined himself grabbing one to support him as he began the ascent up to the front porch of the house. A rising sense of nausea took control in the pit of his stomach as the sheer magnitude of his task sank in: from the stairs, the front door. From the front door, inside the house, assuming they would let him in. Assuming.

There were no breaks in the schedule. This trip wasn't about to get any easier.

As his sandals clacked along the dampened surface of the front deck, the sick feeling in his belly continued to increase. Even though he had purposely paced himself slowly, the door still came before him far too quickly for his liking. It almost felt like it was beckoning him, calling him in.

Would he oblige?

 _"Well, here we go..."_ he thought as he slowly raised his shaking fist. He hesitated.

...

BANG BANG BANG!

* * *

BANG BANG BANG!

"GRAAAH!"

With a loud yelp of surprise, Amethyst rolled off the couch and onto the coffee table, scattering a few empty soda cans and various documents around the floor in her wake. Agitation immediately set in as the loud pounding noise once again boomed throughout the house.

"C'mon, who could be at the door?! It's been raining for hours, really bro?"

Amethyst stood up and brushed herself off. Although she had no desire to, she walked to the entrance and opened it anyway. "Hello?"

* * *

"Hello?"

Steven felt his hand twitch as she looked right at him, simultaneously establishing eye contact. His tongue immediately went dry as his mind desperately struggled for something, anything to say. This was really it.

"Um... hi, Amethyst."

* * *

Amethyst rubbed her eyes. When she moved her hands, he was still there. She was reasonably certain she wasn't hallucinating.

But she still didn't believe it.

"... Steven?" He nodded his head, sheepishly smiling. _"It's really him..."_

Amethyst almost had to physically prevent herself from scooping him up in her arms as the seconds ticked by. Though she had always been very good at hiding her true emotions, the inescapable wave of joy making itself known to her was beginning to prove irresistible. She clutched the doorframe to support herself.

"Steven! Wh-what are you doing here?! I thought you were staying with-"

"I am. I thought I'd drop by for a visit. So, uh... can I come in? It's starting to rain again..."

Though she couldn't help but feel a little disappointment that this would only be a temporary visit, she still happily stepped aside to let him into the foyer, holding the door open. He removed his jacket with a heavy sigh as he laid it on the white seat cushions.

"Where's Pearl and Garnet?"

"Them? Oh, they went on a mission. They won't be back for a while."

Unbeknownst to Amethyst, Steven felt a crushing sense of relief as he once again sighed, his tightly closed hand from knocking at the door relaxing at last. He had been dreading facing them for just the second time since he had found, but not having them around would make this whole trip infinitely easier. _"Maybe there IS a break in the schedule..."_

Amethyst gave him a smile as she placed her hand on his shoulder. "So, you want to do something? Maybe play some video games, or—"

"Not right now, Amethyst, but thanks for the offer," he said as he shrugged her hand away. "If you don't mind, I'm going to my room for a little bit. It's been a while since I've been up there."

Amethyst walked to the counter and took a seat, her enthusiasm slowly dimming from his relative lack of it. "Um... okay? But are you sure you don't want to, you know, hang out or something? I mean, since you came here..."

"Not right now." And with that, he turned around and began the journey to the stairs leading to his room. Amethyst leaned back in her chair.

 _"Jeez, when did he become such a sad sack? Well... dumb question. But I thought he'd be a LITTLE happier now, especially since he's bothering to visit..."_

She groaned.

"Why'd that feud have to happen..."

* * *

Steven flopped on his bed. He grinned as he looked up at the ceiling, his ceiling. _"It's nice to be back..."_

Even though it was the first time in quite a while he'd been in his room, Steven felt like he'd never left. Everything was exactly as he remembered it: the TV still sat at the far end of the chamber, his video games plugged in and ready to go. A few of the toys he didn't bring in his cheeseburger backpack lay scattered about, the shelf behind his bed in particular overflowing. His alarm clock and a few other trinkets still sat on his nightstand, a rather thick layer of dust coating the surface. And to top it all off, few spare shirts and jeans adorned the top of his wardrobe, putting the finishing touches on the cluttered appearance of his personal space.

"Oh my kingdom, I've missed you so..." Steven burst into laughter as he rolled around on his bed, relishing the feeling of the soft mattress and the covers, an experience he had almost forgotten. Sleeping in a sleeping bag underground and on the beach just wasn't the same.

"You know, maybe I should find a way to bring the entire bed to—ow!"

All of the fun was brought to a screeching halt as he banged his hand against the corner of his nightstand, sending ripples of pain throughout the limb. He immediately ceased his joyous rolling about as he clutched the affected palm in frustration.

"Darn it! Well, that's one thing I DON'T miss, I guess... at least it wasn't the funny bone." With rage creasing his face, he turned to the table that caused his misery. Rather than turning his attention to the corner, however, his eyes instead caught a piece of paper laid against the surface, the document itself both rippled and folded. His gaze drifted to the top of the page as he began to read, straining to make out the text through the layer of dust that thoroughly covered the page. "Dear Gems..."

He stopped cold. He didn't need to read another word to know what it was.

The pain in his hand all but forgotten, Steven slowly reached for the note. And it was indeed just that, a note: it was the note he himself had written so long ago, the message he gave the Crystal Gems the day he ran away, the day he thought he was leaving all he had known forever. He almost couldn't close his fingers around the paper, around the text he found himself dreading to relive.

But he knew he had to. Now that he had seen it, he couldn't just leave it alone. Not after everything he had been though.

With shivering hands, he wiped the dust away as he brought the paper close to him, the words becoming clear. He mentally obstructed himself from blinking as he looked at the note, a lump forming in his throat. _"I need to do this..."_

* * *

 _Dear Gems,_

 _Congrats. You've done it. You've really done it._

 _Do you have any idea how miserable things have gotten? Everyone hates everyone else, and nobody wants to say anything about it. Isn't that the opposite of what teams do? Don't teams work together to overcome problems?_

 _Well, I guess we really aren't a team anymore then. Though to be honest, what would I know about any of that?_

 _I know how you really feel about me. You don't see me, you only see my mom. I might as well just be her shadow, this thing for you to keep around so you can have a reminder of her. And to be honest, it's fine. You've never wanted me around, you only want my mom back. I can't really do anything about that, so I may as well just get out of your way._

 _The only request I have is that you say goodbye to everyone for me, especially Connie. I'm sorry I'm too much of a coward to do it myself._

 _Oh, and as for looking for me, if you actually get the desire to? Don't even bother._

 _Steven_

* * *

The lump in Steven's throat felt a lot bigger.

The note. Based on the old, crumpled appearance alone, it felt like a piece of history to him, an artifact from a time long ago. Nothing could be further from the truth, however; it was only a little while ago that it was written. He could still remember exactly what ran through his mind as the pen hit the paper.

Sure, he had been upset about what he heard Pearl say in her room, whispering to the portrait of his mom. Because of that fact, from a glance, you could say the letter was a knee-jerk reaction, as well as the primary catalyst for his spur of the moment decision to run away, to put everything he had known away for good.

But that wasn't true, either. There was more to the story than that.

It _was_ true he made the decision to run away that day, but it wasn't instantaneous. In reality, it took more than a month of brooding, of wallowing in his sorrow to find the desire to actually try and leave everything he had ever known. It took a chain reaction, the prior weeks serving as the build up of what would prove to be an explosive powder keg. It took a while to leave.

Looking at it now, however, the fact that his life on the run was in the rearview did nothing to dull Steven's mind; although it had been buried in the recesses of his memories while he was away, he could still vividly recall every week, every day, even every hour that Pearl and Garnet spent antagonizing each other. Heck, he could even remember when and where the fight began in the first place. Nothing was out of the reach of his jogged memory, courtesy of the note.

"When it first began..."

He knew. It was at the hub. Garnet found out Pearl had been fixing the tower. But she didn't find that information on her own.

Someone talked.

 _"As if..."_

"As if I NEEDED ANOTHER REMINDER!" shouted Steven, tearing the page in half, then in quarters, and then into even smaller pieces, his emotions completely overwhelming him in the heat of the moment. "I KNOW WHAT I DID! I KNOW WHY I RAN AWAY! WHY DOES IT HAVE TO KEEP COMING BACK?!"

Without skipping a beat, he slammed the ripped pieces of paper on the nightstand, angrily shoving them away. Whether by accident or by design, he knocked over the whole table in the process. It fell right at Amethyst's boots.

"What the... Steven! What's going on here? Are you all right?" She received no verbal response as he instead grabbed his pillow and threw it across the room, colliding with his video game console and sending the machine crashing to the floor below with a sickening thud. Another thrown pillow missed his television by inches, although it didn't evade the stack of vinyl records on top of the device.

Amethyst wasted no time as she grabbed Steven by the shoulders, furiously shaking his noticeably trembling form as he tried to reach for what appeared to be a baseball on the shelf behind him. Sweat and tears mingled as they ran down her face, her hair becoming even more wild and frazzled. "STEVEN, GET A GRIP! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!"

"DON'T YOU LIE TO ME! I KNOW YOU PUT THAT NOTE THERE! YOU JUST WANT ME TO FEEL GUILTY!"

 _"Note? What is he talking about? I don-oh... did Pearl leave that in his ROOM?!"_

Amethyst stopped shaking him as she lowered her head. Steven immediately crawled to the other side of the bed as he pulled the blanket over his head, obstructing his face. Her fist tightly clutched the sheet overlapping the mattress.

"Steven..."

"Mmmph mpph mmmph, Ammphpmmh."

She cocked her head, bringing her ear closer. "What did—"

"I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE, AMETHYST!" yelled Steven as he ripped the sheet off, revealing his reddened eyes. "Just... just go away. Please..."

Amethyst's glance quickly darted to the staircase, her mind weighing the possibilities of what she could do. It didn't take her long, however, to realize what he just requested wasn't an option, not when he was like this. With a heavy sigh, she slowly stood up and walked to his side of the bed, taking a seat next to him.

"Steven... I didn't put that note there. I swear."

"I don't believe you."

Amethyst shook her head as she tensed her arm, resisting the temptation to shake him in frustration yet again. "Steven, you just don't... look. Pearl probably put that note on the table the day we went to search for you and forgot all about it. I'm sure she never meant for you to see it again if you didn't want to. That goes for me and Garnet, too."

Any refute brewing in Steven's mind quickly disintegrated at this theory. She did have a point with the 'forgot about it' part: the note was covered in dust and, despite being well-worn, felt like it hadn't been touched in ages. It had probably been sitting on that table for quite a while, long before they knew they would find him again.

 _"But still..."_ he thought, his face downcast as his hands tightly clutched each other. _"I can't exactly take it back now, can I? Seeing the note again?"_

* * *

Amethyst looked over at the slumping form of Steven once again. The sight was almost painful.

 _"How? How could this happen... how could he be turned to this? This shell of himself?"_ she thought while rubbing her eyes, as if doing so would somehow bring back the Steven she used to know, the child she had grown to care for and love as her family. She moved her hands.

He was still the same as a few minutes ago.

Amethyst knew deep down that mindless hoping and 'the passage of time' wouldn't help fix the wound that had just been re-opened. He wasn't about to work out his problems by himself, no matter what he said to try and convince her, or Pearl, or Garnet otherwise. Heck, it was going to take significant coaxing to get him to speak about anything at all, let alone about whatever was bothering him.

She knew what she had to do.

 _"Gee, where have I done THIS before..."_

"Steven?"

He didn't turn to look at her. Amethyst scratched the back of her head, taking a sudden interest at the design of his floor.

"Um... do you want to talk?"

* * *

Whatever Steven had been expecting, it wasn't that. But he still didn't look at her.

"Talk?"

"Yeah. Just... talk. About stuff." Amethyst fidgeted her fingers as she nervously kicked her heels against his bed; she knew she would have to ease him into discussing what was bothering him, rather than getting to the point quickly like she did with Garnet.

"About what? What are you getting at?"

 _"... I guess 'easing him in' is out of the picture. That was quick."_

"Steven... what's bothering you? I can tell you're nervous about something." She reached out to place her hand on his shoulder once again. He shied away.

"Nothing's wrong."

Amethyst furrowed her eyebrows as she leaned back into the soft, cushiony mattress, the springs adjusting accordingly. "Nothing? C'mon, Steven, you just knocked your nightstand over, and it didn't look like an accident to me."

After a few quiet moments, Steven looked up from the white covers of his bed into Amethyst's eyes, her face creased in a nervous expression, seemingly frozen in place. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something about her concern felt... sincere. More trustworthy than Pearl and Garnet.

 _"Why is that, though?"_ thought Steven as he turned his gaze to the window, the sun now blazing brightly in the room through the smudged glass. _"Maybe because..."_

It hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Amethyst?"

"Yeah?"

He released a long sigh, his feet kicking each other as they draped over the edge of the bed. "Do you remember when Pearl and Garnet first started fighting?"

Amethyst resisted the urge to cringe as the memories came flooding to her mind; how could she forget, after it dominated her life the way it did? "Unfortunately... why?"

Steven put his hands together. He couldn't bear to look at her.

"Did you... did you ever feel like it was your fault?"

* * *

 **And there we have it.**

 **I know this is a story focusing on Steven and Peridot, but Amethyst has always been my favorite character. I think we all relate to her personality wise, in one way or another.**

 **Anyways, if this seems like an abrupt place to cut off the chapter, that's because, well, it is. Aside from this author's note, I haven't had the time to write in the past few days (nor will I in the next few, either). Seriously, I've had no time at all, no exaggeration. I didn't want to leave all you good people waiting for too long, though, so I decided to release what I already had written as a stand-alone. I apologize for this, and I'll get all the loose ends tied up in the next chapter.**

 **Well, that's the game. Or chapter. Whatever.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Yes, I am alive. Just thought I'd get that out of the way, lel.**

 **Anyways, my apologies for the extended delay in releasing this chapter. It definitely took longer than I wanted to, but a variety of factors got in the way. I'm trying my absolute best to write quickly, but I've said it before and I'll say it again: if I don't like the direction the chapter's going in, then I won't release it until I'm satisfied, no matter how long it takes. It's as simple as that.**

 **I'm sorry if it feels like I keep pounding this message in, but I feel obligated to do so every time it takes me longer than I'd like to write a chapter. Better to be safe than sorry, I guess.**

 **Okay, that's about all I've got to say, really. On with the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

* * *

"Another day, another failed attempt at visiting Steven... ugh."

Connie angrily cracked her knuckles as she slowly trekked down the beach, her face downcast and her head held low. Each footstep left a bigger and bigger indentation in the sand, as if she was starting to stomp. She was.

Under normal circumstances, she didn't like being so negative, but her discouragement was reaching a boiling point; it was beginning to feel like trying to contact Steven was a fool's errand with each successive trip to Beach City. It didn't matter what day or time she showed up on his doorstep, he was never there, never. He never answered his phone, either. Her glum attitude had reached the point where she hadn't even bothered to try and seek him out the previous week.

"Yet here I am..."

Connie released an exasperated sigh as she approached the door of the car wash. She knew, since it was farther away, that visiting the temple first would be a waste of time; asking Mr. Universe if Steven was around first would save her about a half hour when he inevitably says no.

As she stepped on the front porch, the doorbell beckoned. With one final effort, she forced her hand to move towards it.

She pressed the button.

* * *

"Never again?"

"Never again. At least, not for a few years. And even then... probably not."

Peridot stifled a strange desire to throw her visor at Mr. Dad Universe as he shot down her hopes and dreams of driving the van for the tenth time in the past few minutes. She couldn't understand where his insistence on not letting her try it again was coming from; she had apologized many times for the past incident. What was the problem here?

"Look, I said I was sorry! I've even said it more than once! Besides, that... 'little accident' happened years ago. Let me drive the car."

"It was a week ago, stop exaggerating," said Greg, a grin creeping up on him. "And my answer is still no. I just got the tire and battery repaired, and I don't need them broken again."

"But-" Just as Peridot was about to inevitably come up with some witty comeback, a ringing noise erupted throughout the house. Greg breathed a sigh of relief as he experienced the sweet relief of the term "saved by the bell."

"Oh, that must be Steven operating the alert mechanism he showed me! I'll see him inside," she said as she stood up. Greg felt a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead. So much for that thought.

"Peridot wait, I only dropped him off a little while ago, there's no way he'd be—"

His words fell on deaf ears. She had already left the garage.

"Oh dear..."

* * *

Peridot jogged to the door. She couldn't one hundred percent confirm it was him as she looked out the window in her haste to reach the opening, but she could still tell whatever out there was small. It was probably him.

She smiled as she reached for the handle, catching her breath. "Welcome back, Steven," she said as she pulled the door open.

* * *

Connie's eyes grew as wide as dinner plates, a gesture quickly mirrored by the mystery person at the door. Her mind raced.

 _"What the-why is-how did-wait... slow down a second. Triangle... green... DEFINITELY not from around here... that means—"_

"It's you... you're that GEM! The one Steven told me about!"

The other gem's eyebrows shot upwards at this statement. "Wait, Steven? How do you know him? Are you a human accomplice of his?!"

Connie angrily shook her head, a twinge of regret coursing through her as she realized she didn't have a sword with her. "Doesn't matter! What DOES matter... wait a minute. What are you doing at his father's car wash? Have you taken them hostage or something? What's your plan?!"

With an angry roar erupting from her throat, Connie barged into the doorway, in a desperate attempt to tackle the green triangle head to the ground. With a small shriek and scream hybrid, the enemy gem scurried away from the door and turned around to run into the hallway. Instead, all she got was a head-on collision with Greg, sending them both tumbling to the floor.

"Agh! Peridot, watch it! What's going on over here?"

"Mr. Universe! You're okay!"

Greg rubbed his brand-new, rather sizable lump on his head as he slowly picked himself up off the floor, assisting Peridot as well. "Connie? What are you doing here?"

"I was coming to ask if you know where Steven is. But never mind that, don't you know who that gem is?!"

Greg glanced at Peridot. She almost looked like she was shaking, an action all but confirmed when she grabbed the wall for support.

"Um, Peridot?"

 _"So that's her name..."_ thought Connie. "Mr. Universe, don't you know she's dangerous? 'Peridot' was the one who piloted that hand ship thingy to Beach City! Steven and the Crystal Gems have been looking for her for months now!"

Greg nervously chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head. "Um, yeah, about that..." He stared into Connie's face, her eyes wide and unmoving, a frown frozen in place. He knew there was only one road to go down. _"I'll leave out the part about Steven running away..."_

"Look... let me explain."

* * *

Amethyst blinked. She almost couldn't believe his question was serious.

 _"Did I ever feel... that Pearl and Garnet's fight was my fault? Why would I? Something doesn't add up..."_

"No, Steven, I never felt that way. Why do you—" She froze. She already knew.

"... Did you?"

Steven's gaze didn't move from the floor as he slowly nodded. Amethyst felt her breath catch.

 _"Is this what's been bothering him the whole time? That he feels responsible? Why?"_

"Steven, why would you think Garnet and Pearl's fight was YOUR fault? You didn't do anything wrong, where did you even get that idea?"

Steven placed his hands on the back of his head, using his arms to block his peripheral vision of her. "Don't you remember?"

"Remember what?"

"At the hub! I was the one who told Garnet about Pearl fixing the tower. I told her, Amethyst! I'm... I'm the reason they got really mad at each other..."

Steven lightly shook his head as he wiped his eyes, hanging his head unusually low. Amethyst sighed and pursed her lips.

Deep down, she had to admit he did have a point. Now that her memory of the whole incident at the communications hub was jogged, she could vividly recall every detail. And it was indeed Steven who spilled the beans. He was the one who said to Pearl that she needed to confess. Out loud.

But there was more than that. His memory was a little faulty, too.

 _"I doubt he remembers that I was the one who yelled for them to stop... otherwise they would've just formed Sardonyx and destroyed the hub again..."_ thought Amethyst as her eyes darted to the still form of the young boy. _"If anything, it's MY fault..."_

Amethyst shook her head. Even though the thought just crossed her mind and fermented, she knew the feud wasn't her fault. It wasn't Steven's fault. It wasn't even Garnet's, although she certainly didn't help to end the tension later on.

It was Pearl's.

While Amethyst didn't like to throw her friend under the bus the way she was, even in her thoughts, there wasn't any way around the inescapable truth. It was Pearl who fixed the tower, not once, but TWICE. All for the sake of fusing with Garnet, so she could feel more powerful. More complete.

She manipulated Garnet. She manipulated fusion, and everything it was supposed to be. Doing either of those wasn't a wise idea with the leader of the Crystal Gems around.

Besides, she would've found out on her own.

Amethyst knew keeping secrets from Garnet was practically impossible, ESPECIALLY if they related to business important to the team. Sure, they were able to keep Secret Team under wraps for a little while, but she found out. And she also would've found out about Pearl fixing the hub at one point or another, regardless if they directly told her or not.

 _"To be honest, it's probably better we told her... if she found out by herself and we weren't there to calm her down, who knows what she would've done? Pearl couldn't have possibly hoped to take an angry Garnet in a fight..."_

Amethyst gently slapped the top of her head, a feeling of foolishness quickly overwhelming her. There wasn't any point in dwelling on the past anymore. The feud was in the past. It was over.

Now she just had to convince Steven of all that.

* * *

"Steven..."

The boy didn't move. He had apparently adopted a face-down position on the bed at some point, and he failed to stir at the mention of his name. Amethyst sighed as she crawled to the center of the mattress, to his resting form; even if he was a little different nowadays, it would be a very Steveny thing to fall asleep during their little chat. She gently flipped him on his back to make sure.

"Let's see, eyes closed, red crease marks all over his face... yep, kiddo's out of it."

With a small laugh escaping her lips, Amethyst gently shook him awake, patiently waiting for him to snap out of dream world. A smile crossed her face as his eyelids slowly opened. "Hey, sleepy-head..."

"Ugh..." mumbled Steven, shaking his head as he rubbed the drowsiness out of his eyes. "Per... oh. Um... Amethyst, did I fall asleep?"

"You sure did," she laughed. "I don't blame you, though, you've had a rough day. How are you feeling?"

Steven fell back into the mattress as he spread his arms to both sides. "Pretty good, I guess... better than a little while ago."

Amethyst's smile slid off her face as she locked her hands together, anxiously twiddling her thumbs. "Good, I'm glad," she said, a small frown betraying her lips. _"This is going to be more difficult than I thought..."_

"Hey... Steven?"

"What?"

Amethyst looked at the ceiling. She couldn't find it in her to make eye contact.

"Well... look. I'm not going to beat around the bush. I'm sorry I have to bring this up again, but what happened at the hub—"

Steven's face adopted a crestfallen look at the mention of the memory. "Amethyst, please, can we just—"

"Steven, I can tell you're still bothered by what happened that day, and you're not going to get any better until you get it off your chest. Please, just... let me help you, okay?"

Steven blinked.

 _"Whoa... when has Amethyst been this, you know... mature? Jeez, I sound like Pearl right now..."_

"... Fine. I guess it can't hurt to talk a little... but only a little."

Amethyst smiled, scooching next to him on the mattress and taking a seat. "Thank you."

For the next minute or so, an admittedly awkward silence fell upon the room, with neither gem entirely sure where to begin. Finally, Amethyst decided to take the initiative.

"Steven... can I ask you something?"

Steven sighed, leaning back into the mattress. "Yes?"

"Why do you think it's your fault?"

Steven squinted, a frown spreading across his face as he shook his head. "Why? We already talked about this. I told Garnet at the hub that Pearl was fixing it, so she could fuse with her."

"That's not quite it... do you remember what happened _just_ before that?"

Steven put a hand to his chin. "Um... not really? Why?"

"Well... they were doing their fusion dance. They were just about to finish when I yelled for them to stop," sighed Amethyst. "If I didn't do that, then they would've just fused and destroyed the tower again..."

Steven's eyes bulged. _"Is... is that true?! But then that would mean—"_

"Steven." The boy's mind immediately cut itself off.

"You need to realize something. It's not your fault the fight happened. It's not my fault, either. We didn't fix the hub. Pearl did."

Steven crossed his arms and broke eye contact, turning his attention to the mattress. "I know that... but still, there's just this—"

"There's nothing," interrupted Amethyst yet again. "Pearl started the fight, and... well, she pretty much ended it, too. But it wasn't me, and it certainly wasn't you that started it. Stop beating yourself up over it!"

Steven ground his teeth. He quickly felt himself losing control again, his fist tightening to the point where his knuckles turned white.

 _"Stop beating myself up over it? You know what—"_

"Stop beating myself up over it?" he repeated, out loud this time. "How can I? Seeing how I had a whole month ALL to myself to be angry! Why change things now?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You know EXACTLY what I'm talking about! It took me a month to choose to run away! What do you think happened during that time, huh?"

Amethyst looked away as her mind sped through the not so distant past. It didn't take her long to realize what he was referring to. "Nothing..."

Steven took a deep breath upon hearing her answer, his fingers releasing their death locks on his palm at last. _"Yeah... nothing. Nothing at all."_

"Amethyst, you have no idea. Everyone went quiet, including you. Nobody cared about what anyone else was going through, and I'm guilty of that too, I admit it. But still, I mean, what if _you_ chose to run away instead of me? I wouldn't have had any way of knowing what was going on with you. Garnet wouldn't have known, and Pearl wouldn't have known either, because _nobody would talk to each other!_

And you know what else? It's... it's hard to live in a place like that. It really is."

Steven paused to gauge her reaction. She didn't move.

But her mind still ran full speed..

 _"He's... he's right. We did kind of just ignore him... especially me. I wasn't directly part of the fight, so I didn't have a reason to just forget about him..."_

"Steven... I'm sorry."

* * *

Steven frowned.

 _"Yeah, BIG help. You only care because I just brought it up. You're just sorry because—"_

"I'm sorry for how I acted towards you. I... I should've realized something wasn't right with you way earlier than I did. It's not like _I_ was fighting with Pearl and Garnet. I should've helped you, instead of, well, you know... disappearing. I made things worse..."

As Amethyst's voice trailed off, the room fell silent. Steven said nothing. At least, not verbally.

 _"... I have to know."_

He cleared his throat. "Amethyst... do you really mean that?"

After a moment of hesitation, Amethyst nodded. "Steven, it's like you said in the note, isn't it? Teams work together to overcome problems. And we haven't really been a team in a while."

Steven took a deep breath. She smiled.

"But we're helping each other now, aren't we?"

Now he blinked. He secretly hoped she didn't notice him trembling.

Amethyst patiently waited for him to say something. When it became clear after a few moments he didn't have any intention of doing so, she decided to continue. "But Steven... there's something I want you to know."

Steven felt his lip quiver, his vocal chords stubbornly refusing to make a sound. He could already feel himself losing control again. He forced his hand to make a waving motion to signal for her to keep going.

Amethyst smiled again. "I want you to know, because it doesn't quite seem to me that you do... the fight isn't happening. It _happened._ It's over. You don't need to be mad at yourself for it anymore... it's okay."

That was it.

With a loud, forced gasp shattering the tranquil of the room (as well as startling Amethyst), Steven fell face first into the bed sheets, the floodgates opening wide as his tears quickly drenched the covers. He had to force himself to breathe.

Startled by his surprising reaction, Amethyst's mouth fell agape as she crawled to his side, concern etching her face as she looked on his sobbing form with sympathy. And yet, for the third time that afternoon, she allowed a small, sheepish smile to spread across her face. This time, however, it was a smile of satisfaction. Satisfaction that maybe, just maybe, she helped him lay his demons to rest.

Once and for all.

* * *

Steven wanted to scream.

No matter which angle he looked at the situation, he felt like a fool. The tears were openly flowing from his eyes, that much was obvious to anyone. But that wasn't the worst part: the most excruciating torture was that he didn't want to cry. The feud had taught him to hate showing weakness in front of anyone, with the sole exception of Peridot.

And yet, here he was. Bawling his eyes out in front of Amethyst.

He tried to lift his head, to see for himself just how she would respond to his reaction. Would she leave him to his storm? Laugh? What was going through her mind as she watched him, crumpled and weak?

He didn't have to wait long. All of his speculation came to a crashing stop as he felt a hand on his back, gently rubbing circles. Through his muffled sniffling, he could hear a faint voice, repeating itself over and over again. "It's okay, Steven..."

The boy responded with a few soft whimpers. And a smile. Even though she couldn't see it.

 _"You know... maybe she's right..."_

Finally, after several minutes of much of the same, Steven wiped his eyes with one arm as he slowly picked himself off the mattress. As soon as he sat upright, his gaze turned to Amethyst, her form still and unmoving, her gentle palm on his back withstanding. He could tell she was waiting for him to say something, anything that was on his mind. He gulped.

"Um... Amethyst?"

"Yes, Steven?"

Steven paused, allowing himself a deep breath. He thought carefully about what to say next.

And he already knew exactly what to do next.

"Listen, do you mind if... well..." his mind began to race as he fumbled for the right words to say. _"I've gotten a lot of practice at this recently, so..."_

He didn't need to talk.

With one final drop escaping his eye as he blinked, Steven crawled close to Amethyst. Just as she opened her mouth to question, he put any doubt to rest by wrapping her in his arms, capturing her in his embrace. Their equal height allowed him to rest his head on her shoulder, as he squeezed his arms tighter around her. He could feel her tense up at the contact, a light gasp escaping her throat.

"Thank you..."

That was all it took for her. As if he uttered the magic words, he could feel her loosen in his arms. Her eyes slowly fell shut as she breathed a content sigh. Her smile returned with a vengeance.

Steven could feel her pull him closer, her grip locking him tight. He didn't object.

* * *

"It sure gave us a fight, didn't it?"

"It put up minor resistance, I'll give it that. But we had the situation in hand."

As the light of the temple's warp pad dissipated into oblivion, Pearl stepped off the device and cracked her neck. A quick glance around the house revealed nobody was on the first floor, aside from Garnet taking a seat on the couch to her right.

"Amethyst? Are you in Steven's room again? We told you to stay out of there," she said as she entered the foyer. Rather than waiting for an answer, she decided to look up there herself: the gem she was looking for was indeed sitting on his bed, along with—

"Steven?!"

The sight of his familiar red shirt in Amethyst's arms immediately sent Pearl's senses into overdrive, all other thoughts forgotten as she ran up the stairs. She could vaguely sense Garnet following close behind.

"What the... Amethyst, what's happening here? Is Steven okay?"

Amethyst lifted her head and stared into the eyes of her concerned friend, her smile finally fading. _"Gee, what timing..."_

"It's fine, Pearl. Steven decided to pay us a little visit today."

Garnet readjusted her shades, her top eye squinting at the scene. "But why is he—"

"We've been having a bit of a tough day, all right? But we're going to be okay..." _"We're going to be just fine..."_

Pearl put a hand to her chin, rubbing the other through her hair. She didn't understand what had happened here while they were away, but she knew it wouldn't be a particularly wise idea to ask questions. How would Steven react? From what she could tell, he was upset over something, and she didn't want to risk potentially aggravating the problem. He didn't seem particularly happy to see her the last time they met.

Amethyst eyed her friend for a few extra moments, gauging what she was thinking about. After deciding that nothing of note was about to come from her, she turned her attention back to the child in her arms.

At least, until he pushed himself out.

All three gems stopped cold as Steven broke off his long running hug, slowly swiveling around on the spot to face the two new entrants in the room. Nobody dared to say anything.

Steven looked at Pearl. She felt every fiber of her being freeze.

"Pearl..."

Without another word, he hopped off the bed and slowly walked to the feet of the taller gem, coming to a halt. The sense of anticipation was practically suffocating her.

 _"What is he—"_

She didn't have enough time to finish. Her mind went blank as she felt his arms grab her.

Garnet's mouth fell into an O shape, all three of her eyes gaping wide behind her shades. Amethyst smiled at the sight.

"I'm sorry..."

The words seemed to echo throughout the room. It was a vague term, really; he hadn't explained what he was apologizing about, or even to necessarily whom. But he didn't need to explain. They knew.

They all knew.

With a motherly feeling long forgotten overwhelming her, Pearl slowly kneeled to be at eye level with the young boy. The child broke off his grip and took a step back as her face came into view. He couldn't help but notice the newly formed streaks starting at her eyes.

"Steven..."

She couldn't wait any longer.

With one decisive swoop, she grabbed him in her arms, her grip tightening on him like that prized treasure he was. Having him in her arms was a feeling she desperately longed for, yet had all but forgotten. No more.

And it felt that much sweeter when he returned the embrace.

 _"Thank you..."_

* * *

"... And that's kind of why I've been down in the dumps about it."

Garnet gently wrapped her arm around Steven's shoulder as he finished his lecture, both gems leaning back into the couch accordingly. Amethyst and Pearl gazed at him with careful interest, both gems processing the information they had just been given (though Amethyst already knew most of it).

"But why? Steven, why on Earth would you think our... disagreement was YOUR fault?" asked Pearl incredulously, shaking her head. "You had absolutely no responsibility. It was all on us."

"I'm inclined to agree with Pearl," piped in Garnet. "That was our battle, started by us, and us alone. There was no fault of your own."

"I mean, I guess I know that now," said Steven, touching the tips of his index fingers together. "But back when it started, it was pretty rough, you know? I felt guilty because I said Pearl had been fixing the hub, and I said it right in front of you, Garnet."

Garnet looked down at the boy and smiled. "Steven, I would've found out sooner or later. I can assure you, none of this was your fault."

Steven couldn't stop a chuckle from escaping. "You know, Amethyst said the exact same thing, about the whole 'find out on your own' thing." He looked at her from the far end of the couch, his efforts rewarded with a smile from the purple gem.

"Of course, that wasn't the only reason you left us on that note..." said Pearl, only to quickly cover her mouth. She immediately felt a sense of regret stemming from the words escaping her vocal chords; she desperately wanted to avoid aggravating any sense of resentment from him. "... Which I'm sorry for leaving in your room, by the way. That was a foolish mistake on my part."

Steven smiled again. "It's okay, Pearl. But you don't have to worry. Garnet and I already had a little chat about the whole 'mom's gem' thing."

Garnet gave Steven a pat on the back. "Yes, we did... Steven." He looked up, into her steely shades. She took them off, revealing her eyes to him for the first time since the Kindergarten. He could see her gaze soften.

"Just to be positive you know for sure... none of us only see you as your mother. We love you because you're _you._ "

Steven looked into her eyes for a moment. It didn't take very long for him to smile. "Yep..."

Without another sound, he leaned into the side of the fused gem, allowing her to pull him close. Pearl and Amethyst looked at each other with expressions of both relief and happiness; no words needed to be exchanged.

To the four of them, they could almost feel a peaceful silence envelop the room. Nobody dared to speak, for fear of shattering the moment. And for fear of breaking the serenity that had fallen on not just the conversation, but the Crystal Gems.

It was the light after the dark. The forgiveness after all the pain and hardship. And nobody could bring themselves to interrupt it.

At least, nobody in the house.

With a rather loud bang, the front entrance of the house burst open, without so much as a knock. There, in the doorframe, stood Greg, a rather impatient look dominating his expression. He glanced at the four gems crowded on the couch.

"... Am I interrupting something?"

Steven leaned forward, releasing an exasperated sigh. "Um... hey Dad. I thought you said you wouldn't come pick me up until I called you."

Greg nodded. "Yeah, about that... I know I'm going back on my word, but I think you need to come back to the car wash."

"Why? Did something happen?"

"Well... kind of. You see, Connie's been waiting for you at the wash for more than an hour. I left her there to come get you."

Steven's eyes bulged. "Wait... you left her ALONE with—"

Greg held out his hand to cut his son short. "Steven, it's okay. She and our... guest became friends faster than I thought they would. After a little explaining. Don't worry, I left out the whole 'running away thing,'" he chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Peridot..." mumbled Steven under his breath. With a strange hesitancy, he glanced at Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst—all three didn't look particularly happy at the mention of their "guest." _"Hmmm..."_

"Steven? Are you coming or not?"

Steven subtly shook his head to snap himself out of his thoughts, taking care to make sure it wasn't visible. "Yeah, I'm coming..."

"Good. I'll be waiting in the van." Greg turned around and walked down the porch steps, Steven following close behind his footsteps as he jumped down from the couch. Just before he walked out the open door, however, he turned around.

"So, um... I'll visit again in a few days. Will you have me?"

Pearl smiled as she put her hands together. "Of course we will, Steven." She wasn't alone in her sentiment; Amethyst gave him a big grin and a thumbs-up. "Come on over any time, little man."

Steven smiled. He turned to walk out the door.

"Steven!"

He stopped. Slowly, his gaze turned to the source of the voice. Garnet.

"... Yes?"

The fused gem paused for a moment. Steven anxiously tapped his foot once or twice. What was she waiting for?

And then, as if it was a gesture coming full circle, she smiled. As well as moving her hands into a little heart.

"We love you."

* * *

 **Yeah, I know I took the scene from When It Rains in the ending right there. It was too good to resist.**

 **Well, there we are. I'm not guaranteeing anything, but I'll try my hardest to get the next chapter out quicker. Thanks for being patient with me.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	22. Chapter 22

**How's everyone doing this evening (or morning, afternoon, whenever you're reading), and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **I don't really feel like holding up the line today, so there's not much point in wasting time. On with the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

* * *

"Wait wait wait, back up a second. She tried to TACKLE her?"

"Yep. At least, that's the explanation Connie gave when she apologized to Peridot... for the eight or ninth time. I can't remember which."

Steven stifled a laugh as he opened the passenger seat window of his father's van, allowing the wind to whip through his hair as the buildings flew by. "Well, I guess they got off on the wrong foot, but you said they're doing better now, right?"

"Uh huh, they sure are. You should've seen how impressed Connie was when Peridot made that screen with her fingers. Heck, I STILL don't understand how those things work..."

Steven looked out the window to hide his smile.

After several comfortable minutes of relative silence (as well as easy cruising down the street), Greg took a hard right as he approached the edge of Beach City. Not even a few seconds later, the very familiar car wash came into view, the garage door wide and beckoning. Steven couldn't see Connie nor Peridot; he assumed they were inside.

Greg pulled into the driveway of the wash and pressed down on the brakes, bringing the car to a halt. He put the vehicle in park and killed the engine, as well as removing the keys and placing them in the deepest pocket he had, a deliberate attempt at hiding them.

"Okay, here we are. I'm sure they're inside. You can go say hi whenever you feel ready."

Steven nodded. He unbuckled his seat belt and manually unlocked the passenger side door. He moved to reach for the handle when he stopped cold. It dawned on him.

 _"Wait a second... you know, this is the first time I've seen Connie, since, well..."_

Before he could even stop himself from thinking about it, Steven felt a rising sense of tension quickly choke the atmosphere of the van, the temperature rising as his palms began to sweat. He knew from just an hour or two ago that it wasn't healthy to dwell on the past, but he couldn't help himself; his mind once again began to race through his memories, almost like a movie.

 _"I was pretty mean to Connie the last time I saw her,"_ thought Steven, recalling the argument they had a few weeks into the feud. _"What'll she say to me when I go in there? Heck, what will I say to HER?"_

"Steven?"

Steven shook his head and turned around. His father hadn't moved from the driver's seat since they pulled up to the building, and had taken notice of his son's change in complexion. "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah... I'm fine. Let's go in."

* * *

"So is there, like, anything those fingers CAN'T do? Can they fly?"

Peridot squinted at her new friend's question, as if were a foolish inquiry. "Well, obviously there are some physical limitations, but aerial mobility and maneuverability are certainly not among them. I'd demonstrate if we weren't in a confined space."

Connie sighed as she leaned back into the couch, her eyes transfixed on the mechanical wonders that were Peridot's fingers. "Well, maybe later... sorry if I seem pushy. It's just, well, we don't have anything like those here on Earth."

Peridot chuckled. "It's all right. And believe me, you're not the only one. Steven and his father have fielded a great number of questions about-"

The sound of a car door slamming shut outside immediately brought Peridot to a halt. Both occupants turned to the front door, a palpable sense of anticipation quickly filling the empty space the silence left.

Peridot forced herself to blink. Connie's face morphed into a big, open-mouthed smile.

 _"Steven!"_

The door handle slowly jiggled a few times, the operator clearly fumbling to work it properly. Finally, with a light push, the person outside opened the entrance.

* * *

Steven couldn't stop shaking.

All the bravery he felt just a moment ago from stepping out the van had evaporated. In its place stood what he thought were dead and buried emotions: panic, anxiety... fear. It was as if he was reliving walking up to the temple all over again.

Steven wiped a stray tear away with his free hand. He could feel his grip on the door handle slowly loosen. He began to lower his arm.

And then he remembered.

 _"You don't have to be angry with yourself anymore... I can do this...!"_

He opened the door.

* * *

"STEVEN!"

With elation and adrenaline immediately taking hold, Connie sprinted to the door, suppressing the urge to tackle him into a hug. Steven grabbed the frame of the door and braced for impact.

Luckily for the both of them, it never came. Connie came to a halt just before they were set to collide, allowing her momentum to die down before grabbing him in a bone crushing hug. She began to laugh as she squeezed him with surprising strength, a few pained gasps from the boy resulting.

"Steven!" she repeated, her laughter resonating throughout the room. "Where on Earth have you BEEN?!"

"Can't... breathe..."

Connie's eyes grew wide as she realized just what she was doing to him, releasing her hold as a result. Steven gasped for air as he crumpled to the ground, pressing the top of his head to end the dizzying sensation.

"Whoops, heh heh... sorry about that."

"It's fine," croaked Steven as he forced himself to his feet, clutching the door for support. "I'll be okay."

"And so will I!" exclaimed Connie, her massive smile not budging an inch. "But Steven, where on Earth did you _go_ these past few weeks? I've been trying to reach you forever now, but it's been completely-"

"Connie."

The girl stopped herself cold, her expression adopting a concerned look as she removed her glasses frame, placing them in her pocket. Steven nervously fidgeted his hands, a rising feeling of nervousness rushing his senses. A drop of sweat trickled down his neck.

"Connie..." He took a deep breath. _"Now or never..."_

"I'm... I'm sorry."

"... Sorry for what?"

Steven blinked. Whatever reply he'd been expecting, it certainly wasn't that. Was this a serious question? Or perhaps some kind of trick?

"Uh... well, you know, for what I did to you! Don't you remember? It was that day a few weeks ago. I yelled at you to go away and mind your own business."

Connie put a hand to her chin, her mind racing to recall the day's events. "Oh, that? Steven, that was ages ago. Forget about it. I'm just glad you're back."

Steven blinked. Again.

"R-really?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, you were just upset at the time. I know you didn't mean what you said. Why are you so nervous about it?"

Steven ran a hand through his hair, his mouth hanging open as his lips went dry. He almost couldn't process what he was hearing.

No matter what Steven thought to convince himself otherwise, he had to admit he had been expecting a lot of different reactions when he fumbled to open that door, and not many of them were positive. Mostly anger. Shouting. Blame.

 _"But this..."_ he thought, his gaze still and unmoving. He began to feel a headache put his mind to the task of sorting through the conundrum that was his emotional state, desperately hoping for answers. Luckily for him, that's exactly what he got.

It was just like Amethyst said, not even a few hours ago. _"You don't have to be angry with yourself... it's okay."_

He smiled.

"... I'm not. Thanks, Connie."

Connie nodded at his reaction, a smile gracing her face as well. "You're more then welcome. But you've been dodging my question a little bit. Where have you been these past few weeks? Even your dad seemed a little freaked out when I asked him."

"Um... I've been... I've been doing gem stuff! Uh huh," chuckled Steven, wiping his forehead to hide the beads of sweat quickly forming. He wasn't necessarily lying with his statement, however; he was a gem, and Peridot was a gem. That counted as "gem stuff," right?

"I see... and I suppose you met Peridot here along the way?"

"That's right," said the gem in question, walking to the two as she heard her name mentioned. "And the rest just seemed to happen from there. Now Connie, if it's no trouble, may I ask for you to please excuse me and Steven for a moment?"

Connie squinted at the unusual request, but she nevertheless complied as she walked out the front door of the car wash. Steven turned to Peridot.

"Um, Peridot? What was that for?"

"Steven, please step away from the window. Light will interfere with the process."

Steven squinted his eyebrows as he nervously fidgeted his fingers; it was very unusual to hear Peridot talk this way. Nevertheless, he complied with her request, his feet slowly trudging away from the door.

"Peridot? What are you going to do?" he asked as she pointed her arm to the sky, the fingers readjusting so only a single digit pointed outwards. She pointed her arm at Steven, a strange red light charging at the tip.

"What the... wait, stop! What are you doing?!"

"Don't worry! This won't hurt a bit."

Steven closed his eyes anyways.

* * *

Peridot tightly grabbed her outstretched right arm with her left, her limb enhancer rattling too much to aim on its own. After a few moments, she could feel the laser was fully charged, ready to go. She shut her right eye, targeting the trembling star on Steven's shirt.

She fired.

Almost immediately, the boy began to laugh. Peridot knew from experience that this particular beam induced a tickling sensation; she knew she should have warned him of that beforehand, but making it a surprise was more fun. Besides, he seemed to be having a good enough time on his own, a far cry from just a moment ago.

"H-hey, P-P-Peridot! Tha-a-a-t tickles!"

Peridot gave him a small smile, although she knew he couldn't see it through his tears of joy. "I know, Steven, but please try your best to hold still for a few more moments."

Peridot knew she had to stress this point to him. Even though she was glad he was enjoying himself so much, this laser did have a purpose, and a very important one at that. She kept her attention intensely focused on the red beam in front of her, taking careful precaution to make sure it didn't leave his body at any point.

Finally, after about thirty more seconds, the beam dissipated into oblivion, its job completed. Peridot released her bated breath as she lowered her arm, a reaction stemming from both exhaustion, and relief. With a sigh, she walked to the still laughing form of her best friend, crouching down next to him.

"Heh heh hee! P-Peridot, that thing was g-great!" Steven cut himself short as he released yet more pent up giggles, also allowing himself to catch a breath. "But, um... listen, just what WAS that thing?"

"A medical tracker. I was observing you for signs of both external and internal damage. It's a good tool for determining when a gem will need to retreat to heal and eventually regenerate, but it seems to work well for humans, too."

Steven's laughter died on the spot.

"... A medical tracker? But... but why?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm making sure those Crystal Clods didn't hurt you."

"Hurt me?"

Peridot nodded. "I'm sorry I couldn't just ask you outright, but for all I know, they might've threatened you if you didn't stay quiet, or even-"

"Peridot... no, no! You've got it all wrong!" interrupted Steven, shaking his head. "Trust me, I'm FINE. They didn't hurt me, they didn't threaten me, they didn't do anything to me. I'm not hiding anything from you. I'm okay."

Peridot stayed quiet as she leaned back against the wall, her eyes drifting to the ceiling. "But... you know I don't trust them..." She could vaguely sense Steven crawl next to her, taking a seat. Without any hesitation, he leaned into her side. "I know... but you don't need to worry. I'll be okay."

Peridot looked down. She couldn't help but smile as she wrapped her arm around his shoulder. "You know I just want you safe, Steven..." she gently whispered in his ear.

"I know, Peri..."

* * *

"Hey, what were you guys talking about in there? I mean, if you don't mind..."

Steven looked at Connie as she hopped out of the back of the van, his ukulele in her arms. The boy shrugged his shoulders, laughing at his friend's desperate attempts at playing a legible song from the instrument.

"Oh, just some stuff. No biggie. Where's dad?"

"He went to pick something up from some store downtown. He said he'll be back in a little over an hour."

"Without the van?"

Peridot's eyes grew wide in excitement.

"Yeah, he said it would be more convenient to walk... I'm not sure why. Oh, but he also told me to tell you he took the keys," said Connie, placing the instrument back in the vehicle. "He made a very specific point about it. I'm not sure why."

Steven glanced up at Peridot. She looked absolutely crushed. _"I guess he also left out that... unhappy little incident when he explained Peridot to her. Huh."_

Connie smiled as she walked up to Steven, waving her hand in front of his spaced out gaze. "So, you want to go do something?"

Steven shook his head to snap out of his thoughts. "Um... like what?"

"... You don't know?"

"Know what?"

Connie pretended to stumble backwards and fall, her hand tightly gripping the top of her head. "WHAAAAT?" She began to laugh at her own joke, as did Steven. "But seriously, if you haven't figured it out by now, though, you've been out of the loop for a little while. Dogcopter 4 is out!"

"But we've already... wait. Dogcopter FOUR? LIKE, TODAY?!"

 _"... Dogcopter? What on Hom... Earth is that?"_

Peridot didn't have much time to wonder. Before she could even open her mouth to ask, Steven had tightly grabbed her leg, looking straight into her eyes and her soul. Stars filled his own as he gave her a big, open mouthed smile.

"Peridot, you _have_ to come!"

"To what?! What is this... event you're both so excited for?"

"Do you not know? Have you not heard?" Steven loudly gasped as he pretended to be woozy, stumbling all around Peridot before plopping into the ground. "It's the greatest masterpiece this world will ever know..." he whispered to the sky.

"Steven, please be serious."

The boy stood up and brushed himself off. "We're going to go see a movie. And I'm afraid you have to come, whether you want to or not. It's too perfect to miss."

"A movie?" Peridot let her mind run for a moment, only to quickly nod. "Ah, you mean like a training film of some sort! We used to view those every now and then back on Homeworld."

Steven shook his head. "Training? No, it's nothing like that. This is just for fun!"

"For fun?"

"You'll see," he smiled as he brought two fingers to his mouth. "But to get to the theater, I'm going to have to call an old friend."

He whistled. Loudly. Peridot and Connie covered their ears.

Not even a moment later, a large portal formed directly in front of Peridot, earning a loud shriek from the gem as she dived out of the way. Her panic only intensified as some gigantic pink thing jumped out of the wormhole, scratching its ear as it touched down.

"Lion!" said Steven as he ran up to him. Without missing a beat, he began to softly stroke his mane, scratching behind his ears as well. "I've missed you..." The big cat purred in acceptance of the gesture, a rather rare reaction from him; it was clear he had missed the boy as well.

"STEVEN! WHAT IS THAT THING?!"

Steven paused as he turned to the trembling form of Peridot, who was in the process of crawling behind Connie and tightly grabbing her shoulders, peering out from behind. The girl stifled a laugh.

"Who, Lion here? Don't worry, he won't bite! At least, I hope he won't."

"B-but... it's GIGANTIC! Are you sure it won't-"

"Peridot, Lion is as nice as they come! Trust me, he won't do anything to hurt you."

Her facial expression showed she didn't look entirely convinced, but Peridot nevertheless stood up, slowly trudging to come face to face with Lion. Neither of them moved. They didn't even blink.

"Lion, meet Peridot. Peridot, Lion. Now let's all be friends."

Peridot began to sweat.

* * *

"Pearl seems a lot happier, doesn't she?"

Garnet smiled as she looked over her shoulder at the couch, the gem in question sitting with her feet propped up on the cushion, quietly humming some tune from who-knows-where. On her face lay a bright smile, her soft eyes revealing her mind lost in thought. "Yes, you're certainly right... and I think it's a little contagious, really."

Amethyst grinned as she opened the fridge, grabbing a soda from the top shelf and popping it open. "That's for sure. I actually have an appetite again, for one thing. It's been a while."

Garnet nodded, fiddling with her shades as she looked down to the counter top. She began to tap her finger against the surface. "Indeed... I'm looking forward to Steven's next visit. My future vision says it'll probably be tomorrow."

At the mention of the word "visit," Amethyst's face fell into a frown as she lowered the soda from her lips, wiping her mouth. "You know, about that... why do you think he's acting the way he is?"

"The way he's acting? What do you mean?"

"I mean... how he needs to 'visit' us," mumbled Amethyst, her face falling into a frown as she leaned over the counter. "Maybe I'm thinking about it because we just made up with him, but... it almost feels like he's picking _Peridot._ Over us. Doesn't it seem that way to you, even just a little?"

"Amethyst, you weren't at the Kindergarten when we found him," said Pearl, gaining their attention as she stood up and walked to the counter. With a sigh, she pulled out the far left stool and took a seat next to Garnet. "To be honest, I can almost understand his decision, even though I don't approve of it. But still, what happened there was very bizarre..."

"Well, just what _did_ happen? Fill me in!"

"Well, um... for one thing, Peridot seemed _completely_ different from how she was on the ship. She was cowering behind Steven the whole time, and she even started to cry when he got hurt."

"Wait-" Amethyst's eyes grew wide at this revelation. "Steven got HURT while you guys were there? How?! Was it-"

"Amethyst, calm down!" piped in Garnet. "Whether you believe me or not... he was blasted back into the wall of the chamber we were in by accident. He was blocking Pearl's spear with his shield..."

"But why? Why on Earth would he need to block Pearl's... wait. Was he-"

"Bingo," said Garnet, practically stealing the thought right out of Amethyst's mind. "He was protecting her..."

Amethyst's eyes gained the thousand yard stare as she slowly began to slouch, leaning against the counter with her arm. She almost didn't want to believe what she was hearing from Pearl and Garnet.

 _"But... WHY? Why would he trust Peridot so much?! Doesn't he realize she's an enemy? How could he forget what happened on the ship?"_ Amethyst decided to relay her thought to the other gems, failing to see any harm that could from it.

"Hey, guys?" Pearl and Garnet turned to look at her.

"I don't get it. I mean, we all remember what happened on the hand ship thingamajig, how we were all kept in those cells. You can even say we were lucky. If Steven's human side wasn't immune to whatever sealed those cells, we'd probably be imprisoned on _Homeworld_ right now!"

"What's your point, Amethyst?"

"My point is, after everything she did to us, how can we trust Peridot to be around Steven? How do we know she won't try to hurt him somehow, when we least expect it?"

All three gems fell silent at her words, the house taking on a rather ambivalent, almost depressing atmosphere, a sharp turn from just a little while ago. And it was with good reason.

Nobody wanted to say the truth. But being the leader of the team, Garnet knew she had to be the one.

"... We don't."

Amethyst felt a lump form in her throat, her worst fears confirmed. And she knew Garnet wouldn't tell a lie when it came to something as important as this. She coughed, allowing herself a deep breath as she collected her thoughts.

"B-but... then why are we letting him stay with her? We need to go after him, right now!"

Garnet shook her head, her glum expression visible even through her shades. "We can't..."

"Why not?"

"When he agreed to come back with us from the Kindergarten, he gave us set conditions to follow. One of them is that he lives with Greg and Peridot at the car wash, and we don't bother him unless he comes to visit _us,_ like he did today. And you know as well as I do that we don't want to risk rekindling hard feelings. Not after today."

"I agree that we can't really trust Peridot," piped in Pearl, "but we need to be realistic here. I know what I'm about to say is absolutely horrible, but... if Peridot really did want to hurt Steven somehow, she's had more than enough time to do it. It's been more than a week since we found them at the Kindergarten."

"You do bring up a good point. Peridot isn't one to procrastinate. We know that from how quickly she came here with the hand ship." Garnet took off her shades and placed them on the counter, the look in her three eyes telling them all they needed to know. "But still, I can't shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen..."

Amethyst's mouth fell open. There was only one reason Garnet would take off her shades like that.

"... Do you see it in your future vision?"

Garnet's top eye tightly closed, lost in thought. And then, when it seemed like perhaps peace had overtaken her, it shot open wide.

Amethyst and Pearl shivered.

* * *

"Steven, that movie was completely ridiculous! It's technologically impossible! It's-"

"It's science fiction, Peridot. _Fiction._ It's not supposed to be real!"

"Besides, you can't deny it was a lot of fun! Maybe not as good as the third... but still great!"

Peridot rolled her eyes as she, Steven, Connie, and Lion walked out of the viewing room, the two human children eating the last pieces of popcorn from their bags (after Steven fed one or two more to Lion, of course). The gem's frustration didn't stop there, however; with an angry grunt, she ripped her 3-D glasses from her face and marched to the nearest blue bin with a giant picture of said device, shoving them inside. She then proceeded to place her familiar visor back on, a scowl lining her face all the way.

"And don't even get me started on those EFFECTS!" she yelled across the room. "Steven, I'm sorry, but that pitiful human copy of virtual reality left quite a bit to be desired."

Steven nervously chuckled as he looked around the lobby, hoping nobody was around to see her strange antics. _"Well, there isn't anyone behind the counter... thank goodness."_

"Yeah, I guess maybe the effects weren't quite as good as last time... we should probably go now."

Upon hearing of their imminent departure, Lion strutted to the door and pushed himself through it, Connie following close behind as she threw her empty bag in a nearby trash can. Steven patiently waited for Peridot to catch up with him, his foot tapping faster and faster as his anxiety increased.

"So..." he said as Peridot walked past him, forcing him to almost jog to keep pace. "Did you like it? The movie, I mean."

"Aside from the strange Earth creature that, even if scientifically inaccurate, was admittedly very entertaining, no. There are some elements of human culture I've taken a liking to, but 'movies' are certainly not among them."

Steven nodded at her more logical explanation. As they approached the door, both gems began to slow, allowing him to take once last glance around the theater to make sure nobody was around. His feet immediately halted, a gagging noise escaping his throat.

The arcade.

 _"Of course... every movie theater has one. Well, she didn't notice it when we went in, somehow. Maybe we can go two for two? Actually, scratch that: PLEASE go two for two..."_

"Steven, let's GO!"

The boy's head immediately snapped to Peridot, who was waiting for him at the door. He secretly hoped she didn't notice him staring at the video game haven. But he was too late. She had already turned to look at what he'd been staring at for so long.

Her mouth dropped open, her eyes bulging. Steven facepalmed.

 _"Oh boy..."_

* * *

 **Nice.**

 **You know, 3-D movies have kind of gotten stale, in my opinion. Now it kind of feels like a gimmick slapped on to make more money, you know? Eh. **

**I'm out of stuff to talk about. Ugh.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	23. Holiday Themed One-shot

**Hey everyone. Just dropping by with a quick update.**

 **Like many of you, my 1st semester finals are coming up next week. To keep it short, I'm not going to be update with a new chapter until those are over, as I'll be spending nearly all my extra time studying. After the 18th (my last day), I'll be off of school for the next two weeks or so, but until then, an update's just not going to happen.**

 _ **BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID,**_

 **I really, really, REALLY don't want to go that long without something new. Therefore, using what little free time I've been able to scrounge up the past few days (just before I don't have any at all), I came up with this brief, holiday themed one-shot. It's completely disconnected from the main storyline, but I think it fits the atmosphere really well. And besides, we can all use a little more Steven and Peridot fluff in our lives. Just a little.**

 **And yes, I know real life holidays aren't canon in the show. Good thing this is a fan fiction, lol. On with the one-shot.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 **Author's Note**

* * *

The streets were green. Very much like herself.

No matter which direction Peridot turned her eyes to, it was always the same, dominant color, lining window after window, sign after sign, light pole after light pole: green, green, and, hey! More green. Well, _maybe_ with some red thrown in every now and then. Okay, and there were a _f_ _ew_ traces of white as well, mostly emitting from the brilliant bulbs hanging high above the buildings, illuminating the nighttime streets of Beach City. It it all weren't so confounding, she would probably admit the whole display was rather fascinating.

"What is all of this for..."

"What was that?"

Peridot's fingers shot to cover her mouth, a faint blush setting in as she realized she had spoken out loud. Unfortunately for her, though, it was too late; Steven had stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, slinging his bag over his shoulder as he patiently leaned against a tree.

"Peridot, you've been trailing behind for the past ten minutes now. You usually like to get out of town quickly. Are you okay?"

"Um... well, heh heh, you see, Steven, I... oh, all right." Peridot gave an agitated groan and walked to a nearby bench, plopping down. "I might as well ask. What are all these strange decorations for?"

Steven waddled over to the bench (a difficult task with all the bags he was carrying) and hopped up, breathing on his hands as he rubbed them together to shake the cold away. A few quick glances around the street told him everything he needed to know. "What, the wreaths? Or do you mean the giant fake trees in the store windows? Or maybe even—"

"Steven. I mean _all_ of it. What's the purpose of this tradition?"

"Well, it's the holiday season! You know, Christmas and Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, all that stuff! It's called 'the most wonderful time of the year' for a reason."

Peridot inquisitively squinted as she once again threw her eyes around the area, attempting to put her increased understanding of the subject to good use. With no clarity forthcoming in her mind, her lungs exhaled an angry groan as she raised her arm, her fingers readjusting themselves to form her beloved screen. "Perhaps this human database Steven introduced me too might have some information," she quietly mumbled as she opened Google.

"Ah ah ah, remember what I told you that one day? No screens in public. That's the rule," interrupted Steven, closing his small hands around Peridot's limb enhancers. He forced her to to lower her arms, dissipating the screen. "You don't have to wear the gloves anymore, but it still wouldn't be good if someone got really curious about your fingers. Or scared. Whatever."

Peridot's teeth ground together as she suppressed a hacking cough. She took a sudden fascination in the pebble arrangement of the street.

"Peridot..."

"Not now, Steven. I request privacy for the time being."

Steven frowned as he pulled up his hood, his body furiously shivering to combat the cold that had befallen the night. He placed his quickly numbing hands in his pockets as his teeth chattered with a vengeance.

"Wel-l-l-l, l-l-let's go, at least-t-t..."

* * *

Even through the howling winds of the great outdoors, Steven had to admit it was rather pleasant that night. The winter storm roaring outside the safety of the car wash complimented the cozy atmosphere inside quite well, the miniature fireplace crackling its final cinders as the warm glow slowly faded the room to darkness. Peridot lay fast asleep near the blaze, her restful breath bringing a smile to his face as it reverberated throughout the room.

As his eyes hovered over the final words of the page, Steven quietly sighed as he gently closed the book he had been reading, the final chapter complete. Yet another great installment of the No Home Boys. The Special Holiday edition.

It made him think. He needed to talk to her.

Wasting no time, the child slipped on his socks and draped his thick, bright white blanket around him. He quietly stood up, carefully stepping over his sleeping father as he stumbled his way to the fireplace. He began to blindly pat around the wall, hoping to feel the grip of warm metal from the machine stinging his nerves. He found it.

As silently as he could manage, Steven gently crouched down and poked his finger, lightly grazing what felt like Peridot's arm enhancer. Without any hesitation, he began to shake her.

"Umh... huh? Steven?"

"Sshhh..." Steven leaned back against his elbows, his eyes fixed on Peridot as she shook her head. "Yeah, it's me."

"What do you need? Look, if it's about what happened earlier, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

"No no, it's not that..." he whispered, throwing his eyes to the frosted window nearby. "I kind of wanted to talk... about what we were discussing earlier."

"The values of space and time? I already explained those in detail."

"No, we're not going back there, I'm afraid," he smiled, though she couldn't see it now that the fireplace had all but burned itself out. "It's more along the lines of what happened in town. You know, with the decorations and stuff like that."

Peridot stretched her back as slowly forced herself to sit up, her taller body causing her to tower over the young boy. Something about the whole scene didn't quite feel... right.

"Hold on a second."

Steven patiently looked away as Peridot set to removing her limb enhancers. His eyes caught the white torrent raining from the sky, seemingly in never ending bunches. It was really quite a sight.

Finally, Steven heard Peridot slide next to him as the sound of metal clashing with wood echoed throughout, her limb enhancers apparently removed. They were fortunate Greg didn't wake up from the loud noise.

"My apologies, Steven, but something about speaking to you with those on felt... unnecessary."

"It's okay. Don't worry, I won't bother you for long."

Peridot quietly sighed as she touched the tips of her index fingers, trying her best to ignore the admittedly nerve wracking noises coming from outside the building. She lightly tapped his arm, signaling for him to keep going.

"... Peridot, do you want to know the best part of the holidays? And it isn't the decorations, though they remind me of the reason why," whispered Steven. He cupped his chin in his hands, his eyes beaming to the pitch black floor he and Peridot shared.

"I suppose. You were rather vague earlier."

"Well..." Steven felt his tongue catch on nothing, his jaws tensing at what he prepared himself to say. "I think the best part of the holidays is... it's the togetherness, you know?"

"Togetherness?" Peridot ran her hand along the floor, imagining herself doodling the wreath from earlier in the blank canvas of the dark. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, like families getting together, and friends with friends, and, well... it goes on forever, really. That's what the holidays do. They help us take a moment to think, and to appreciate everything we have, and all the people we love. At least, they used to."

"Used to?"

Steven nodded, stifling a laugh as he brought a hand to his mouth. "Yeah. Everything's really commercial nowadays, all in your face and this and that. But I like to look at it the way we used to."

"I see..." Peridot lowered her head, her eyes finding nothing. "Well, I guess it makes sense for you to be so excited, if it's that joyous of an occasion for humans."

Steven released a heavy sigh, a frown creasing his expression as he lay down on his back. He had hoped to perhaps cheer Peridot up with this conversation, but he could instead see his efforts were going nowhere; on the contrary, it seemed that she was getting _worse,_ not better.

But not for long.

"Peridot."

The gem turned to look at him, her eyes struggling to decipher his form in the dark. "Yes, Steven?" she sighed.

"There's a reason I told you all of this..."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. And I've been thinking about it ever since they started putting up the decorations, really."

Peridot sighed, her breath plainly visible to herself and Steven. " _Wait a second..."_

As if she was realizing what the temperature was, Peridot began to shake. With her shivering sending signals of distress, she rubbed her arms to fight off the chill leaking in from the outside, something it had done ever since that fire in the controlled space extinguished itself. Heating was definitely one of the advantages to the limb enhancers, and being without it was a side effect sorely felt.

"Hey... are you cold?"

"N-n-no..."

Steven smiled at his friend's attempts at looking tough, lightly chucking to himself. "C'mon Peridot, you're freezing. Here, use my blanket." The boy stood up and carefully walked to her, taking extra care to avoid the various objects scattered around the darkened floor. Finally crouching in front of her, he knelt down and removed the blanket from his shoulders. He wasted no time placing it on hers, giving a pat on the back as he took a seat next to her.

"There. Isn't that nice?"

"Y-yes... thank you. But won't you get cold now?"

"I'll be okay. Don't worry about me." Steven tried his hardest to sound sure of himself, suppressing shivers and stumbles of speech along the way. But ultimately, it was his teeth that betrayed him. They began to chatter.

She already knew exactly what to do next.

"Steven, come here."

Despite the lovely warm feeling that had accumulated over time, Peridot opened her newly acquired blanket as wide as she could, exposing herself to the chill of the night once more. Without any measure of hesitation, she leaned over and grabbed Steven by the shoulders, dragging him towards her.

"H-hey! What's the big idea?"

She said nothing in return. Once she brought his shivering self close enough, however, she instead spoke by tightly wrapping her arms around him, earning a small gasp of surprise from the child. Without missing a beat, she then pulled him as near to her as she could, closing the blanket around the both of them.

She felt his shaking stop almost at once. She smiled.

"Better?"

"... Better. Thanks, Peridot..."

Content with a job well done, Peridot sighed as she leaned back into the floor, bringing them both down on their backs. The room fell completely quiet; even the snow outside had stopped, allowing the room to flood with moonlight, in addition to the wind dying down. But the silence certainly wasn't uncomfortable.

Quite the contrary.

With a yawn bubbling up inside her, Peridot allowed her eyelids to slowly droop, the wonderful realm of sleep beckoning her once more. _"I'll put my limb enhancers back on later..."_ she thought as her mind began to drain itself of energy. Just as she was about to nod off, however, she was gently poked in the arm once more by Steven.

"Pssst! Peridot."

"Ugh... Steven, what is it? I was about to go to sleep again..."

She turned to look at him. Through the increased light in the room, she was finally able make out his expression. He was smiling.

"... Do you know why I told you all that stuff about the holidays? I never finished my thought." She shook her head.

"Well..." Steven paused, gathering his recollections. "It's about the whole 'togetherness' thing I mentioned earlier. You see, my dad and I would always spend the holidays together. The Crystal Gems would also be with us once or twice, but mostly it was just the two of us. I didn't really see him as much back then as I do now, so I always cherished the time we had together."

"Steven, what's your point?" Peridot didn't mean to sound so harsh, but she was beginning to grow impatient. Where was he going with this?

"My point is... I guess my point is I've had a lot of fun over the years on the holidays. With my family. But I think this year's going to be a little extra special."

"How so?"

Steven fell silent. Figuring he was leaving well enough alone as he very often did, Peridot rolled over in the blanket. She closed her eyes once again, preparing to plunge into dreamland.

But he still wasn't quite finished.

Without a sound or whisper, Steven reached over and gently grabbed her shoulders, rolling her over to face him once more. She couldn't help but gasp at the sight: silver streaks ran down his eyes to his smiling cheeks, brightened by the moonlight shining through the frosted window. He barely spoke above a whisper.

"Because I have you, too..."

* * *

 **Be sure to stay safe for the holidays, everyone. I'll be done with finals on the 18th, and I hope to get the next chapter out a little while after.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	24. Chapter 23

**Hey everyone, and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **Well, my finals are finally (see what I did there?) over, and I did pretty well overall, mostly because of all the extra time I had to study. A big thanks to everyone for being patient.**

 **Still, there is something I want to address. It seems I didn't make it clear enough in the previous author's note, so I'll say it again:** **the events of the previous chapter, the holiday one-shot, are NOT CANON to the story.** **It was meant to be a fun little diversion, nothing more and nothing less. I seriously doubt it'll ever be referenced again, so this chapter consequently begins at the end of chapter 22, not the one-shot.**

 **Anyways, as I said earlier, all my tests are done and out of the way. Now I have about two weeks off of school, so let's have some fun... or not. You'll see what I mean.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

* * *

"Peridot, I don't think what you did was a very good idea... even though it worked."

"Steven, that stupid machine was rigged. You know I deserved that strange Earth creature caricature."

"You mean the stuffed animal."

Peridot said nothing as she gently hopped off the back of Lion, quickly backing away to allow Steven to do the same. The cat wasted no time as he did so, releasing a blood-curdling roar as a portal shot out of his mouth, jumping through it without missing a beat. Steven grinned.

"You know, I've always thought it's pretty cool how he's able to do that." Peridot nodded in agreement, carefully readjusting her visor. "It is rather impressive, I'll give him that... but it's still just a little frightening."

With a small smile emerging at his friend's antics, Steven deflected his gaze to his left, the neon glow of the car wash sign calling for his attention. Aside from the van sitting parked in the driveway, nothing seemed different from a few hours ago. He began to walk the short distance to the building, Peridot following close behind.

"Hey... Peridot?"

"Yes?"

"Um... listen, I understand you were really excited, but did you have to use your capture beam thingy on the claw machine? Now we've been banned from the theater for 'an indefinite period of time.' At least, that's what they told me."

"Steven, I told you, that machine was absurd!" scowled Peridot. "I had the prize captured in that claw's grasp not once, not twice, but EIGHT times! And it just _happened_ to fall out each and every attempt? Yeah, sure! I think that-"

"Okay, okay, I get it! Sorry I brought it up again," mumbled Steven, taking sudden fascination in the pebble he'd been kicking along. "But if they release Dogcopter 5 in the next few days, which for all I know they might, then I won't get to see it..."

"You won't be missing much."

Steven couldn't help but chuckle at his friend's dry response, even though he knew she was being dead serious. "Well gee, thanks."

"You're very welcome. Trust me Steven, I've never even see an entertainment film before today, but even I can tell that movie was AWFUL. Why, there was even-"

"Hey look, the front door, let's go in!" said Steven, cutting her second rant short. He was okay with her complaining about the claw machine, but having to hear a piece by piece breakdown of Dogcopter was something else entirely. He wasted no time in running inside, leaving a rather confused Peridot on the porch.

"Um..."

* * *

"Oh, there you are. Where did you guys go?"

"To the movies," mumbled Steven. He plopped down on the couch next to the stove his father was stirring something in a pot on, stretching his back and legs. "We went and saw Dogcopter 4, played in the arcade... for a little while, and then dropped Connie off at home. I thought it was pretty good, but Peridot didn't like it."

"Where is she, anyways?" Greg's attention flickered behind him, revealing a deserted foyer and closed door. "I hope she's not messing with the van."

"I doubt it. She's probably had her fill of driving for away after playing Road Killer that many times. If she didn't figure out how to reset the machine using one of her laser thingamajigs, we'd probably be broke from spending quarters."

"I can see why," laughed Greg. "But to be honest, I'm a little disappointed. I was actually going to offer for us to go see that movie sometime this week. I know how much you like the franchise, and I thought it'd be fun."

"Don't even bother, because I'm not going to be able to see, well, ANY movie at the theater for a while..."

Greg stirring slowed to a crawl. His neck seemed to creak as his head turned to face Steven.

"... Again?"

The boy grimly nodded, avoiding eye contact. "Yep. Again."

"Steven..."

"Hey, you KNOW the first time wasn't my fault! So that dumb vending machine just happened to spark and burn itself out when I was grabbing a candy bar. And then they went and pinned it on ME!"

"Yes, I know, I know. And then we... I mean, I paid for the machine." Greg held his head low at this... unhappy memory. "But hey, you have to give the thing credit. Even in death, it still did its job. Your got your candy bar."

"I got everything, remember? All the rows started going crazy. They fell like dominoes."

Both father and son fell silent. Neither needed to speak words, however; their eyes immediately locked onto the other's, the reaction stemming from the silly thought. They both simultaneously froze up, a staring contest in full swing.

 _"I'm gonna win, I'm gonna win, I'm gonna win..."_

Steven felt a smile threatening to burst forth to the world. He shoved it down. He could tell his dad was doing the same.

 _"C'mon, just a LITTLE WHILE LONGER! He'll crack eventually!"_

Steven knew further resistance was futile. He stifled a giggle. Two.

* * *

"Let's see... where are the schematics for that structure? Are they protected by some sort of firewall, perhaps?"

Peridot was stuck. Swiping through screen after screen, document after document, page of information after page of information... it was all starting to feel like a fool's errand. The database quite literally at her fingertips was practically endless, after all; if she hadn't found what she was looking for by now, it probably wasn't going to happen at all.

"C'mon, all I want to know is if there's another way into that theater!" _"Since Steven can't use the front entrance without being thrown out anymore..."_

A few desperate flicks of her finger later, she came to the end of the the long stream of information. Nothing.

"Ugh... well, I guess Steven won't be able to go back there for a while."

With pent up frustration making itself known, Peridot removed her screen as she let loose a disgruntled scowl, yanking the front door of the car wash open and seeing herself inside. Her heavy boots stomped against the ground as she trudged down the hall, drowning out any and all other sounds. At least, until she walked into the kitchen.

It was really quite the sight. Both Steven _and_ Greg rolling around on the ground and hysterically laughing, to the point where they were crying? _"I missed something..."_

"Um... are you two okay?"

Neither responded. They were too busy struggling to breathe. Peridot tapped her foot.

"I said, are you-"

"We're fine, Peridot, we're fine. Just had a bit of a stare down," gasped Steven, heavily panting for air. His hand desperately fumbled for the armrest of the couch, finally coming to rest on his target as he pulled himself up off the floor.

"A stare down?"

"Yeah! It's when you look at each other until one of you blinks," said Greg, leaning against the counter and sucking down a deep breath. "Me and Steven used to have them all the time. Neither of us ever won because we'd always laugh, but we had a lot of fun sometimes."

"I see..." said Peridot, forcing a smile. Her thoughts painted a very different picture. _"It can't possibly be THAT entertaining... can it?"_

Greg went back to stirring the contents of the pot on the stove, stifling a few leftover chuckles as he tapped the fingers on his free hand against the counter top. Peridot rolled her eyes as she took a seat next to Steven on the couch.

"Say, do you want to try having one? It'll be a lot of fun!"

"No. Besides, if the objective is not to blink, I'd win. Visor."

"Oh... yeah. I guess you're right." Steven looked down at his feet. "Well, dinner's not going to be ready for a while, not that it matters to you anyways... want to go do something?"

"No thank you. I'd rather bide my time with an energy recharge period."

"You mean a nap."

"Yes. That." Peridot stretched her back and put her feet up on the couch. "Do you mind?" The boy shook his head as he jumped down, giving her full access to all the cushions of the "rest station," as Peridot called it.

 _"Okay then..."_

* * *

"Something on your mind, kiddo?"

Steven shook his head, avoiding eye contact with his father as he blew on his spoonful of soup for the fifth time. "No, I'm fine. Why?"

"I don't know, you just seem a little out of it, I guess." Greg placed his spoon back in his bowl, crossing his arms. "You usually have some big adventure with Peridot to talk about during dinner."

"Well, we got kicked out of the movie theater. And I also visited the Crystal Gems. It's been a busy day. I guess you could say I'm pretty tired." True to his word, Steven loudly yawned as he spoke, rubbing the impending drowsiness from his eyes.

Greg nodded at his logic. Gulping down his last sip from his bowl, he scooched his chair back before he stood up. He picked up his empty bowl and walked to the sink, rinsing it with a quick sweep and setting it in the basin. "Are you going to have seconds?" he called over the running water.

"No thanks!" came the reply. With his suspicions confirmed, he walked over to the many drawers near the counter top, grabbing the box of cling wrap from the top left. He cut a large sheet from the roll and walked to the stove, pouring the contents of the pot into a bowl. He was about to place the plastic wrapping over the container when he heard a small grunt from the nearby couch.

"Ugh... hello, Greg."

"Hi, Peridot. Have a nice nap?"

"I guess..." Peridot slowly sat up, fighting off her grogginess by lightly clutching her head. "You wouldn't happen to know where Steven is?"

"At the dinner table. I'd be careful, though, he told me he's exhausted. He probably won't want to talk very much."

"I understand," said Peridot. "But... you know, I still owe him an apology for the whole movie theater incident..."

Greg nodded once again, turning his attention back to wrapping up the leftovers and cleaning up the dishes. Peridot stood up and walked to the kitchen table pulling up a seat next to Steven. He said nothing as she settled in.

"... Steven?"

"Yes, Peridot?" he sighed. He slumped back in his chair, finally turning to face her for the first time. She took a deep breath.

"Look... I'm sorry for what I did at the theater. I got carried away, and it's my fault I got you in trouble."

Steven raised his eyebrows. Whatever he had been expecting her to say, it certainly wasn't that. In all the time he had known Peridot, she had never really been one to apologize. But now? Doing it on her own terms?

He smiled.

"Thank you, Peridot. But you didn't need to apologize. I got over it a while ago, trust me."

"That doesn't matter. What I did was wrong, and I owed an apology to you."

"Well... thanks. It's kind of funny when you think about it, though, there was this one time about five years ago when..."

Unbeknownst to the two of them, Greg had been listening to the entire conversation, straining to hear over the cover of the running sink. He couldn't stop himself from smiling as well.

 _"You know, they really do get along well... I'm glad Steven met her."_

* * *

"Do you want to try again?"

"Absolutely."

Pearl made no attempt to hide her frustration as she stood up from the couch, her eyebrows twitching as she walked a few feet in front of her. She spun around on her heel, turning to face the open space of Steven's room above. "AMETHYST! WILL YOU TURN THAT INSUFFERABLE DEVICE DOWN?!"

"RELAX, P! I'M JUST CHANNEL SURFING!"

Pearl muffled a scream, a feat made all the easier by the noise emitting from the box. Her hand instinctively went up to her forehead, her gem glowing as the end of her spear began to form. She prepared to grab it.

And then she remembered. She wanted nothing more than to destroy that stupid TV. But it was Steven's, not Amethyst's. She couldn't do anything about it.

"My goodness..."

Pearl dissipated the forming weapon with an angry wave of her hand. She stomped to the couch once again, taking her previous place. She wasn't typically one to ignore mannerisms, but she put her feet on the coffee table and crossed her arms.

"Well, you tried, at least... again."

"Gee, thanks Garnet!" mumbled Pearl under her breath, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She doubted the other gem even heard her.

"WHAT THE HECK? IT'S NOT FLIPPING CHANNELS ANYMORE! IS IT THE TV?!"

Both Garnet and Pearl breathed a sigh of relief. The volume was still loud, sure, but at least they wouldn't have to deal with that _accursed_ never ending stream of jumbled sounds as the stations flew by. From what they could tell, the TV froze on a weather station. Pearl couldn't help but listen in.

"... And now back to the weather!"

"Thanks, Chip! We've got some pretty bad rain moving in later tonight, as if we already didn't have enough today! Funny how that works. Anyways, be sure to hunker down and stay indoors, because it's looking like a-"

None of the gems would ever know what he was about to say. The TV crashing to the first floor and breaking into pieces was probably the reason why. Pearl felt a strange desire to jump up and dance.

"Whoops... I didn't mean to kick it that hard. Sorry."

"It's fine," sighed Garnet, coughing at the trail of smoke rising from the destroyed television. "I guess we can add it to the list of birthday gifts. Besides, at least now we know it's going to rain... although I already did."

"Yeah yeah, future vision. Not all of us have it, Garnet," said Amethyst, chuckling as she walked down the stairs and to the front door. "Look, it's already starting to get cloudy out there."

Pearl diverted her attention to the window, her eyes inquisitively focusing on the sky; Amethyst was indeed correct in her observations. Clouds were already beginning to form above, rather dark ones at that. Now that she had confirmed that fact, she was about to look away when her eyes caught something red, on the other couch near the windows. It looked familiar.

"Hey... Amethyst, what's that right there? On the couch next to you?"

The gem looked at the seat in question, her eyes immediately catching the object her friend meant. She walked over and picked it up, feeling the soft material in her hands.

"This? It's Steven's jacket."

Garnet threw her gaze across her shoulder. "His jacket? Hmm... was he wearing it when he visited the house earlier? I can't think of any other reason for it to be there."

"Now that you mention it, yeah, he was. I remember he put it there when he first came in, and I guess he just forgot it on the way out. He was in a rush, after all."

Pearl crossed her legs. "Well, you heard that weather report as well as I did. If it's going to rain... the car wash isn't exactly the most modern building in the world. He should have his jacket." She stood up and walked to Amethyst, holding out her hand to take it. The other gem backed away.

"Pearl, wait. I don't think this is a good idea. Weren't you and Garnet the ones saying we can't go to the car wash without his permission? What if he gets mad?"

"It'll be fine. All I'm going to do is swing by the house and drop it off. I'm not going to stay for long."

"I agree with Pearl," said Garnet, standing up and walking to the two. "I can't really envision anything going badly."

"But what if..." Amethyst cut herself off and sighed, knowing she had been beaten. "... Fine. I get it. I just have a bad feeling about all of this." Amethyst handed the jacket to Pearl's outstretched arm, inwardly rolling her eyes at the look her friend got whenever she was right. She then walked to the couch where Pearl and Garnet had been sitting just a few moments prior, plopping down at the end.

"Be sure to hurry, Pearl, it looks like it'll start pouring any second now," said Garnet after a moment of tranquil. She looked out the window and frowned.

"Thanks. You don't need to worry, though. It'll be fine."

* * *

"Steven, I'm sorry, but I still have no idea what to do."

"Really? But I just... ugh. Look, it's really simple. If you have rock and the other person has scissors, you win! And since I had rock, that means I won."

"But why? Why do you win by default just because of that hand sign? And why are gems in conflict with 'scissors' in the first place?"

Steven slapped his forehead yet again, the stinging sensation all but conforming in his mind the skin was probably turning a lovely shade of purple. His frustration wasn't his fault, though; to him, it felt like Peridot wasn't even trying to comprehend the games he wanted to introduce her to. _"She won't try staring contests, chopsticks, rock paper scissors... I'm trying my best!"_

"You know what? Fine. This isn't going to work."

"Thank you."

Steven leaned against the wall, gently scratching the top of his head as he sighed. Peridot idly sent her fingers every which way, perhaps trying to entertain herself, Steven, or both. Neither knew what to say. At least, not at first.

"... Wait a second. Peridot, have we tried arm wrestling yet?"

"Um, no?" She grimaced as his eyes lit up. _"I should've said yes. Here comes another trivial time consumer... I think I'd rather play a game on the phone, thank you very much."_

"I knew I forgot something! Oh, this'll be great!" Steven stood up and jogged to a corner of the room, dragging a heavy box back to where she was sitting. "It might be a little difficult with the limb enhancers, but we can make it work."

"But why do you need that object right there? Steven, what's about to happen?"

"You need an elevated surface, and this box works fine. And what's about happen is an arm wrestling match!" He sat down on the other side of the box, holding his arm out in the starting position. "It's one of the universal signs of strength here on Earth. People do it to see who's stronger."

"Stronger? Is this some kind of test?" asked Peridot. Her curiosity was beginning to increase the further he went along in his explanation; this activity did seem unlike the others. More exciting.

"Yeah! Well, kind of. Here, you want to try?"

"Please explain it first."

"Oh... yeah. That makes sense. Okay, so first we face each other on opposite sides, like what we're doing now. Then we each put an elbow on the surface." To demonstrate, Steven used both of his arms, though it was a rather awkward appearance. "You'll see what I mean in a bit. Anyway, once we're both set, we begin to push the other's arm. Whoever can force the other's hand down first is the winner."

Peridot processed this information carefully, observing his demonstration with interest. It didn't take her long to smile.

"I admit this sounds far more intriguing than the other activities."

"Um, thanks?"

Peridot crossed her legs, placing her right arm at an angle on the box. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Steven grinned as he mirrored her actions with his own right arm, meeting her fingers in his grip. "Are you sure I won't just rip your fingers away, though? It kind of seems like they need to be connected to the arm to do this."

"I've magnetically attached them to remain in the same spot. It'll be fine. You ready to lose?"

"Yeah right! Get ready, on the count of three."

A bead of sweat trickled down both of their faces. The tension was palpable.

"One!"

Peridot held her breath. Her lips began to quiver in anticipation.

"Two!"

Steven's voice felt hoarse in his throat. He couldn't wait to finish the count.

"Three!"

Steven moved his arm. Peridot moved her fingers. Rather than moving his arm downward, she instead twisted his wrist.

His eyes shot open wide. He suddenly felt the need to throw up.

"Oh... so that's what you do. My apologies, Steven, let's restart this 'arm wrestle' contest."

"AAAAAAGH!"

* * *

"AAAAAAGH!"

Before he realized anything else, adrenaline had taken over. Steven's arm immediately shot back to his side, tears forming in his eyes as he began to see spots. He bit his tongue to suppress another scream as a strange feeling overtook his wrist, a numbness he had never felt before in his life. He held his breath as he moved to cradle his affected joint.

"AAAAH!"

It was a sad mistake. As he again felt the same blinding sensation from a moment ago, he released his grip on his wrist as quickly as he had put it there. He tumbled to the ground, darkness creeping into the corners of his vision.

Peridot had no idea.

"St-Steven! W-what just happened?! Are you okay?!"

Not waiting for an answer, she immediately stood up and went to his side, kneeling at his crumpled form. She reached out to touch his cradled arm, to get a better look at what seemed to be the problem. He swatted her away.

"DON'T TOUCH ME! DON'T MAKE IT WORSE!"

Peridot's breath froze in place.

 _"Make it worse? Did I...?"_

She didn't have much time to wonder. Not even a moment later, Steven's father burst into the room, on high alert from the yelling coming from his son. Like Peridot before him, he ran over to his side and kneeled down.

"Steven? What happened?!"

The boy said nothing as he rolled to his other side, facing away from the two of them. He began to furiously kick his legs, sending the box and several other items scattered around the floor halfway across the room. Greg turned to Peridot.

"Peridot? What happened to him? What's going on?!"

"I-I don't know! I think it's his right arm!"

Greg leaned over as far as he could, straining to see the joint in question. It was indeed his right arm that seemed off, specifically his wrist; it was bent at a angle, unnaturally so. He was no doctor, but it was obvious the wrist was broken.

"Steven, hold still a moment! Let me at least get a better look!" Greg grabbed his son by the shoulders as gently as he could, being particularly careful to not go anywhere near the affected area. If they were going to get to the bottom of this, he would need to calm down.

True to his father's wishes, Steven's thrashing and resistance began to slow as he registered the gentle contact. Desperately sucking down a few deep breaths, he rolled on his back. He made no attempt to wipe his eyes as he looked up at Greg's concerned face.

Peridot couldn't bring herself to look. She bit her fingers.

"Steven... listen, you need to stay calm so I can help. Is it your wrist?"

After a moment, he nodded once. He gritted his teeth.

"How did this happen? Actually... forget that, that's not important right now. We need to get you to a doctor."

Steven nodded once again, grimacing as he forced himself to sit up. He didn't look at Peridot as he staggered to his feet, grabbing onto his father for support using his good hand. It was only when he got a good look at his son's face that Greg had an idea.

"Tears... hey, wait a second. Steven, your healing powers!"

"They don't work anymore!" he seethed, his teeth remaining shut. "They haven't worked for months!"

"Oh... yeah, I forgot. But isn't there something else we can do? What about the duct tape that healed my leg?"

Even through his pain, Steven stopped to think about his father's inquiry for a moment. It was true that tape successfully healed his dad's leg; it even managed to repair the crack in the Geode. If it could fix something that strong, then surely it could heal his wrist?

The boy finally looked at Peridot. She was staring at the ground, frozen in place. He knew he couldn't do it.

It would be suspicious enough to return to the temple so soon, not even twenty four hours after he had already visited and promised to return in "a few days." But even if he _were_ able to get into the temple without arousing concern, it would be completely impossible to smuggle the tape out of the house. They'd be watching him like a hawk, and Garnet would probably see it in the future. And if they saw him taking the tape for no apparent reason, they would ask questions.

He could already envision exactly what they would say. _"Why do you need that? Are you hurt?!"_ And he knew for a fact that if his well-being was at risk, they would go to the ends of the Earth to find out why. Or who.

And if they found out it was Peridot...

"I don't know where it is."

Greg stood up, putting his hand on Steven's back. He nudged him forward, as gently as he could. "I see... I guess we have to go to the hospital. Peridot, stay back and watch the car wash."

The two of them began to march down the hall. Steven snuck one last glance at her.

She hadn't moved.

* * *

His words still rang through her mind. It felt like it would never end.

 _"DON'T TOUCH ME! DON'T MAKE IT WORSE!"_

Make it worse.

Peridot didn't want to believe what she just did. She didn't want to believe she had injured Steven. She didn't want to believe she had been the one to cause him so much distress. She didn't want to believe she had caused him pain.

But she didn't have to believe. She didn't have to believe because she already knew.

It was her fault.

She wasn't even sure how it happened. One minute, they were about to have a friendly contest, an arm wrestle. The next, he was writhing on the ground in pain? How did it change so quickly? What was it? It was obviously his wrist, as Mr. Universe put it... what did she do to it? Her knowledge of human physiology was admittedly low, so it could've been anything. Was it the way she moved it, perhaps?

Whatever it was, it wasn't important. It didn't matter what she did. What did matter was that she did it at all. Accident or not.

She hurt Steven.

Peridot reached over and picked up the nearby box, the same box they were going to use for their competition. She threw it across the room, shattering a large lamp in a bright explosion of sparks and porcelain. It felt good.

She started to scream. She didn't make any attempt to muffle or suppress it. She just let it all out. It felt even better.

And then the gates opened.

* * *

As Pearl approached the front facade of the car wash, she took a quick glance around. Nothing really seemed to be drastically different or out of order: the sign was lit up loud and proud, the garage shut off from the outside world, that sort of thing. But there was one tiny little detail that was missing.

"Hmm... Greg's van isn't here. Did they go somewhere?"

She decided to answer her own question. She walked to the front door, and, after a moment of hesitation, she lightly knocked. Her hand tensed as a cold raindrop landed on the back of her neck.

A minute passed. Nobody answered. It didn't sound like anyone was coming to the door, either.

Pearl put a hand to her chin. She couldn't just turn back and leave, not without delivering Steven's coat after coming all this way. At the same time, however, it would be foolish to leave it sitting out in the open, exposed to the forthcoming storm. What could she do?

She didn't think about it very long. Rather than knocking again, she moved her hand to the doorknob and twisted it. It swung open.

"Oh, Greg..." she chuckled to herself as she stepped inside. It was very much like him to leave his front door unlocked, especially if he wasn't home. "Greg? Steven? You left your jacket at the temple. I'm just here to drop it off."

Pearl carefully walked down the hallway, straining to hear either of the two. She didn't hear the sound of either of their voices, but instead the faint sound of... someone breathing? Whatever it was, it was almost unnatural, and it sounded like it was coming from one of the rooms in the back. She walked to the source.

"Greg, Steven left his jacket at the temple. I-"

Pearl stopped cold. It wasn't Greg. It wasn't Steven, either.

It was Peridot. And from the look of it, she was crying.

"... Peridot?"

* * *

 **That was a steep drop even by my standards, but I've had that scene in mind for a while now. What's going to happen next? We'll find out.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	25. Chapter 24

**Howdy everyone, and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **Well, this'll probably be the last chapter before Christmas, so merry Christmas. They say it's the best time of the year, and I think they're right.**

 **Anyways, I don't do this very often, but I promise the end to this chapter is (much) happier than the last one. I know how dark of a turn that was, and I apologize if you really didn't like it. To be honest, I wasn't a big fan of it either.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

* * *

"We just got the results from the X-ray back, and I'm afraid they aren't good. His wrist isn't broken, but he's fractured the distral radius bone. It's one of the most common wrist injures a person can suffer."

"Is it going to take surgery to fix?"

"Fortunately, no. Relatively speaking, it's a very clean fracture, so it won't require any intrusive operations."

The more Greg and Mrs. Maheswaran talked, the more claustrophobic Steven began to feel, sitting in what felt like not a doctor's office, but a shrinking prison. His wrist was injured, he knew that much already, but how badly was the key. In his mind, the absolute worst case scenario was that he would need-

"While this type of injury doesn't require surgery, I'm afraid he _will_ need to wear a cast for the next six to eight weeks. Failure to do so would result in improper healing and placement of the bone, so we better get started right away."

Steven cringed.

The cast. Usually a bright color, like green or red. People like to sign it. But most of all, it's the classic sign of an injury. If someone's wearing a cast, it's safe to assume they're hurt.

And that's exactly what the Crystal Gems would assume.

The more Steven thought about it, the more his situation felt like being wedged between a rock and a hard place. No matter which way he turned, there was no escape: if he visited the Crystal Gems with the cast, then they would bombard him with questions and demands, inevitably leading to the discovery of Peridot's responsibility in the injury. If he were to ditch the cast, then he wouldn't be able to do anything with his right arm, and they'd find out he was hurt at some point anyways.

And of course, if he didn't visit the Crystal Gems at all, then they'd eventually go and seek him out, on their own initiative. Hiding for up to eight weeks would be impossible.

 _"If only I could get to the tape or mom's fountain, just for ONE SECOND! Ugh, what do I do...?"_

"Steven? We need to apply your cast now. If you'll come over to this table, please."

He groaned.

* * *

"... Peridot?"

At first glance, Pearl wasn't exactly sure what to make of... well, anything she saw. A shattered lamp in the corner, the table it sat on knocked over? A big white box with the top torn open, its contents spread out everywhere?

Oh, and the very epitome of Homeworld's evil crying on the floor. There was that, too.

"Peridot."

The gem in question said nothing. Pearl knew she was choosing not to hear her. Her gem began to glow.

Still, for a brief moment, the blue and white gem ran through her options before recklessly rushing into what she was about to do. It certainly didn't seem like talking to Peridot was going to work; she would've at least responded if she had any intention of saying anything. That left only one other option.

But something didn't seem right.

Pearl felt a strange sensation overwhelm her, watching Peridot continue to quietly sob on the floor. In a way, it seemed like the other gem felt... weak. She was certainly scared about something, there was no doubt about that. It was quite unlike the Peridot she had grown all too familiar with, the Peridot she remembered from the Kindergarten and the ship. Something about her was different. And while it was noticeable before, in their previous encounter when they found Steven, it was certainly on display now...

And for once, she didn't have the urge to attack. Not this time.

Pearl gently sighed, the glow of her gem fading as she repelled any thought of summoning her spear. Without making a sound, she slowly walked to the crumpled form of the Homeworld gem, who hadn't moved since she made her presence known. She kneeled and put her hand on her back.

"Peridot, what happened here?"

* * *

"Peridot, what happened here?"

The gem in question vaguely felt the other touch her back. It was cold. And not just from the contact.

"AGH!"

Her senses kicking into overdrive, Peridot scrambled away as quickly as she could, colliding head on with the nearby wall. Ignoring the dizzying feeling quickly overwhelming her, her eyes darted around for anything she could use to escape the room, to get away from her. Nothing.

Pearl still wasn't sure what to make of it all.

"Um... Peridot?"

"NO! GET AWAY! Y-YOU CLOD!"

"Clod?" scoffed Pearl. "Why y... look. I'm not going to hurt you. I don't have any weapons on me. See?" She held up her hands in a surrender position to demonstrate, only to be rebuked by Peridot furiously shaking her head.

"NO NO NO NO NO! YOU'RE LYING! GET AWAY FROM ME!" Peridot's arms desperately fumbled around her for something to grab onto, the only relief coming in the form of a small pillow, barely larger than her visor. She chucked it at Pearl, who caught it easily.

"Peridot!" yelled Pearl, her patience growing thin. She slammed the pillow against the ground and began to walk towards the other gem. "I just want to talk! Why can't you see that?"

"NO! N-N-NO! STAY AWAY!"

There was nowhere to turn. Her back was pressed firmly against the wall, with no escape from the sides. As Pearl inched closer and closer, she also inadvertantly blocked the door. There would be no escaping what she knew was coming next.

It was over.

"J-just go away..."

* * *

It almost hurt to watch.

For a brief moment, Pearl felt twinge of doubt cross her mind as she wondered if this was even the same Peridot. Based on past encounters alone, she knew Peridot to be cold and cunning, a master tactician with a great deal of unpredictability on her side. And, most importantly, she was _irredeemably_ evil. She was the enemy. A symbol of everything the Crystal Gems fought to oppose.

And yet, here she was, crying her eyes out, her face buried deep in her knees. She was utterly terrified.

 _"But... why? Why would she be scared of me? The Peridot I remember would always relish the chance to fight back, so why is she so nervous? Has she really changed that much... since she met Steven?"_

Pearl shook her head. All of those thought could come later. Business first.

"Peridot..." she whispered as she continued to walk to her. The other gem made no attempt to move from the corner. Pearl sat immediately opposite her.

"Peridot, I need you to listen to me." Her speech appeared to fall on deaf ears; the Homeworld gem didn't move an inch. _"It was worth a shot, but I can't back off now. Not after this..."_

"Look, I can see you're... a little nervous, about me being here right now. But I promise you, on my life, that I'm not going to hurt you. Honest."

Her promise got the reaction she'd been hoping for. After a moment or two, Peridot finally looked up, straightening her left leg to expose her face. Pearl gently covered her mouth at the sight of her bloodshot eyes, especially distorted by the damp, foggy visor she wore.

"H-how do I know you aren't lying...?"

"I didn't bring anything with me, see? Well, aside from Steven's jacket," replied Pearl. She put the garment on the floor and slid it away from the two. "I don't have anything with me I can use to hurt you. And... even if I did, I wouldn't. Really."

Peridot looked at the floor.

* * *

Peridot looked away from Pearl, allowing her mind to race through the alleyways of her emotions. To her, this whole scene felt... unnatural. And it didn't take her long to put her finger on it.

"... Why?"

"Why... what?"

For the first time since their conversation began, Peridot glared right into Pearl's eyes. They didn't have the same cold gaze she remembered from the Kindergarten; no, it instead seemed almost... warm. Friendly.

Like she was being honest.

"Why are you being so nice? You hate me."

Pearl bit her lower lip.

"You seem different. You're not quite like I remember... you don't seem like you're the threat you used to be _._ "

"You can say that again..." she mumbled under her breath. Pearl rolled her eyes.

"Peridot, what happened here? Why is this room so badly damaged?"

Peridot briefly glanced around the chamber, her eyes focusing in on the destroyed lamp and knocked over table. She knew there wasn't anywhere to go but the truth. She had to physically suppress a chuckle as she thought about her situation; it almost felt like confessing a mistake to her superior, Yellow Diamond, back on Homeworld. You didn't want to do that often.

"Um... I knocked over the artificial lighting device over there. By throwing that storage cube at it."

"I see..." Pearl decided not to ask her the reason why, for fear of upsetting the (temporary?) peace she had established between them. "Where's Steven and Greg?"

"They went somewhere. They told me to stay behind and look after the car wash."

Pearl nodded. "I understand. When they come back, tell them I stopped by to give Steven his jacket back," she said as she pointed to the piece of clothing on the floor. "He'll probably need it tonight."

And with that, Pearl stood up. She came to the car wash with a mission, and she had accomplished it. With her job finished, she began to walk to the door. At least, she walked to the door until she was interrupted.

"Wait!"

Pearl turned around. Peridot was looking straight at her.

"Um... when you said I seem different... what did you mean by that?"

* * *

Pearl squinted her eyebrows.

 _"What did I mean by that? Isn't it self-explanatory?"_

"It's exactly as I said. You don't seem like you're dangerous anymore."

Peridot shook her head. "But WHY? Why do you see me that way now? I thought you Crystal Cl...Gems hated me."

Pearl leaned against the frame of the door. The more she thought about it, the more she realized Peridot had a perfectly good point: from her point of view, all the Crystal Gems ever did was endlessly attack and hunt her down. What reason would she have to suddenly _not_ see her as a threat anymore?

It all boiled down to one crucial element.

Pearl turned around and walked back into the room, once again taking a seat in front of Peridot. She allowed herself a moment of quiet to collect her thoughts. The other gem anxiously fidgeted her legs.

"... Peridot, up until now, the Crystal Gems and I have had a... set view on how to think about you. After all, you were the one who attacked Earth with the Red Eye and the ship. We viewed you as a threat."

"Well I knew that much already..." mumbled Peridot. Pearl couldn't help but smile.

"But seeing you now... you've changed, and I don't think you're lying in the way you're acting. You've become a different gem. Figuratively."

"Well gee, thanks..." said Peridot, her voice lightly laced with sarcasm. Still, it was certainly a relief to hear her former greatest enemy say she no longer hated her down to the very core of her existence. It was actually rather nice.

"Can I ask you something?"

Peridot looked back up at Pearl. Now _she_ wanted to ask _her_ a question? What was this about?

"Um... I suppose."

Pearl once again smiled. She stopped for a moment.

"... Are you different because of Steven?"

* * *

Even though she asked the question, Pearl already knew the answer.

It didn't make any sense for Peridot to just reform and suddenly change her personality without a catalyst. After all, what reason would she have to forgive hundreds of years of conflict between Homeworld and Earth? Why would she in particular be any different from the other gems of that planet?

She wouldn't. But somehow, some way, Steven was able to do it. She believed in Steven.

"What do you think?"

Pearl raised an eyebrow. "What do _I_ think? Well, I'd say Steven's helped you..."

Peridot's face creased into a glum expression. She looked away from Pearl, unable to make eye contact. "You just don't understand..."

"Understand what?"

"... Before I met Steven, I was stranded here on Earth. I had nowhere to go, and nobody to turn to. And every time I tried to contact Homeworld to request exfil or assistance, you and the others were always there to stop me."

"Well... yes, but what's your point?"

"My point is, can you blame me for being so miserable?!" shouted Peridot, momentarily startling Pearl. "I only came to Earth because I had a simple mission to do, and you CLODS kept interfering with my work! And then, even when you had me down, you just HAD to keep kicking!"

"Well if you remember, YOU were the one who invaded Earth!" snapped Pearl. "And we're the Crystal Gems! We're the GUARDIANS of this planet, and all its living beings! if we see you as a threat to our existence, then we will HUNT YOU TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH!"

Pearl closed her eyes and sucked down a few deep breaths as she fell silent, her rant finished. Although the Homeworld gem wasn't talking, she expected to see a mix of fury and annoyance from Peridot when she looked at her again. She opened her eyes.

She couldn't have been more wrong. Peridot sat scrunched up in a ball, gently rocking back and forth. Hey eyes were wide and furiously blinking, like she was about to cry again. Her appearance caused such a shock that Pearl barely heard her speak.

"... Please let me finish..."

Pearl's posture immediately loosened, adopting a more casual sitting position. Her expression softened into one of sympathy as she nodded her head, motioning for her to continue her speech.

"You see, it was about a month ago... I heard one of your teammates-I think it was the fused one-yelling Steven's name in the Kindergarten. I was outside at the time, so I hid in a pile of rocks and waited. I didn't know why she was yelling for him, but I wasn't about to take any chances.

When she left a few minutes later, I got out from my hiding place and started to run. For the entrance to that underground chamber. And it was right around there where I met, well... you know."

Pearl leaned forward, blocking out all other sounds as the other gem continued to speak. She had already heard about what happened when Steven ran away, from the boy himself, but hearing it from Peridot's point of view would be just as useful.

"We didn't get along at first. Actually, it took a little bit of an accident for us to even start talking. We ran into each other again because he was running away from you three. I took him down with me to the chamber to hide, and... well, I guess it kind of took off from there."

"Wait, back up a second... it's because of US you two became friends?"

Peridot nodded. "It was. I don't know how you three found a trail, but he said he saw you coming in the distance. I knew he wasn't about to outrun you if you caught sight of him, so I took him down to the underground chamber with me."

"And then what?" _"Sounds like Steven left a lot of details out when he explained all of this to us..."_

"He took out several Earth inventions and showed them to me. I really liked the Rubik's Cube in particular. He even introduced me to sleeping. Then-"

"You didn't like it, did you?" Pearl couldn't hide the smirk creeping up on her. Peridot squinted her eyebrows.

"I adored it. I still do it every now and then."

"I don't know how you someone can enjoy it. It's just so... _strange._ " Peridot gently shook her head at this. Her face was lined in conflict as she tried to hide her smile.

"We can discuss that later, I guess... but as I was saying, I woke up a few hours after he explained sleeping to me. I remembered I had to record my daily log-it's a requirement by Yellow Diamond to all operatives in the field. I opened the program and started to speak... but then I thought of something."

Pearl ran a hand through her hair, her mind racing with possibilities.

"You thought of what?"

Peridot pursed her lips. She looked up at the ceiling for a moment before turning back to Pearl.

"I thought about how things had changed for me. It was only one day, but everything I did with Steven was... wonderful. It was completely different from anything I ever experienced on Homeworld."

Pearl's expression darkened at the mention of her former planet. That was one road she _never_ liked to travel down, no matter what the context was. Talking with Peridot was no different.

"I'll bet it was."

Peridot nodded. She leaned back further against the wall. "It took me a little while for me to realize it, but it got the point where I thought to myself 'are things really that bad here if I have Steven?' After all, we were basically both stranded, although he was doing it willingly. To me, it felt like we needed each other."

Pearl said nothing as she looked at the floor. _"And I bet he felt the same way..."_ she thought as she anxiously fidgeted her fingers with each other. _"Why else would he have been so upset when we found them?"_

"Do you know why I told you all this?"

Pearl shook her head, snapping herself out of her thoughts. "Well, aside from answering my question, no..."

"... What I'm trying to tell you is yes, Steven changed me. Without him, I have no idea where I'd be, but I'm willing to guess it would probably be wherever you put gems you capture. But he also made me realize something else."

"And that is?"

Peridot took a deep breath.

"He made me realize that... I've been happier living with him than I've ever been in my life. And I don't see a point in trying to go back."

"What do you-" Pearl cut herself short.

"You don't mean...?"

"I do. You don't need to worry about me harming the Earth anymore. Why would I if I don't serve Homeworld anymore?"

* * *

Pearl's eyes widened. She quickly double checked in her mind she heard correctly.

But she knew she did.

Though they never spoke of it out loud, Pearl knew that the Crystal Gems always assumed Peridot's time on Earth, even after meeting Steven, was temporary. After all, she was a technician loyal to Homeworld, and Homeworld _only._ There was no reason for her to become attached to Earth. It was inevitable that, whether it came sooner or later, she would just drop everything, masterfully evade the entire team, and slip away. She had proven to be pretty good at it already.

It was going to happen eventually. Or so they thought.

"Peridot... do you mean that?"

"Of course." Peridot couldn't help but squint at the odd reply; what kind of a question was that? Weren't her intentions obvious enough? "It's as I said before. I see no reason to return, especially after my time with Steven. Why are you surprised?"

"B-but you're from _Homeworld!_ Do you have any idea what this means? Not just for you, but for Earth! I still remember it well, the consequences of defecting to any other planet or society-"

"I assure you, it's completely okay," interrupted Peridot. "Think about it. Even when I specifically sent out messages requesting extraction, did Homeworld ever send any form of aid? No. If they didn't try to rescue me even when I was trying to reach them, why would they do so now? As far as they know, I might as well be dead. Recycled."

Pearl's throat suddenly caught on nothing, her voice unable to escape the confines of its prison. Her mind desperately fumbled to think of something, some counter-argument to Peridot's admittedly sound logic. She came up empty handed.

She was right.

Peridot, noticing the hesitation coming from the blue and white gem, decided to continue. "Besides, even if I still wanted to, I can't go back. You and the other Crystal Gems always stopped me, and you would just do so again and again. I'm staying here, the Pearl... excuse me. Pearl."

The other gem blinked in surprise. She raised an eyebrow.

"Wait a second... what did you just call me?"

"Pearl? That's your name, is it not?"

"No, no!" Pearl furiously shook her head. "Before that! What was it you just said?"

"I don't under... oh. The Pearl. Please forgive me for that error."

Pearl's lips went dry.

"... Isn't it customary on Homeworld to refer to gems, except for Diamonds and some Quartz, as 'the?'"

"Well, yes, but-"

"Then why'd you correct yourself? Why am I not 'the Pearl' to you? Answer me!"

It only took one glance at Peridot's utterly bewildered face for Pearl to feel like a fool. The truth was, even she wasn't entirely sure why she was being so intrusive, angrily questioning what was most assuredly a simple slip of the tongue. At the same time, however, she _was_ rather curious to find out why Peridot was so quick to correct herself. Why?

She smiled. Pearl bit her lip.

"Pearl, one of the very first things Steven taught me about Earth... he told me that everyone is unique. You see, I used to call him 'the Steven.' I thought he was the only Steven in existence, so it made sense to me. But that's not true." Pearl gently nodded.

"When he told me that there are many humans named Steven, I still didn't understand why he didn't want me to not call him 'the.' After all, wasn't he just like every other Steven out there? Why _shouldn't_ he be called the Steven?"

"Because he's not like the others..." whispered Pearl. "He's unique."

"Exactly. I couldn't wrap my head around it at first, but I understood eventually... there may be a lot of Stevens out there, but he's still his own person. He's Steven."

Peridot paused for a moment. She looked into Pearl's eyes.

"And another thing I've learned here on Earth... that applies to everyone. There are a lot of Pearls back on Homeworld, but that doesn't matter. As far as I'm concerned, you're just Pearl. I'm not going to look at you all the same way just because you're the same kind of gem."

* * *

"I'm not going to look at you all the same way just because you're the same kind of gem."

Pearl suddenly felt a strange urge to cry.

Not even an hour ago, Peridot was her enemy. She wasn't just _a_ enemy, though; no, she was _the_ enemy in her eyes, the very definition of everything she opposed. Even if Steven trusted her, she didn't. And she never would.

But that was an hour ago. And it can be funny how some things change so fast.

Peridot wasn't a threat anymore. That much was obvious purely from her reactions earlier in their meeting. But it wasn't just the fact that she couldn't harm the Earth anymore that made her so different from what she remembered, but instead her personality. The Peridot Pearl knew hated her, the Crystal Gems, and everything about them. And she _never_ hesitated to show it whenever given the chance.

But now... to hear Peridot, during a heart to heart conversation, say that she would not only no longer oppose her, but accept her for who she was? Regardless of her origin or background? Regardless of the fact she was a Pearl?

It was completely unlike Homeworld. But Peridot didn't serve Homeworld anymore.

She said it herself.

With a content sigh escaping her lips, Pearl crawled next to Peridot. Just as she was about to question the meaning of this, she put any doubts to rest by placing her hand on her shoulder. Her touch wasn't cold. Not like last time.

"Thank you, Peridot..."

She glance over at Pearl. She looked thoroughly spooked. "Uh... for what?"

"For everything..."

* * *

"Steven, are you sure it was an accident?"

"Dad, I'm completely positive. You know as well as I do that Peridot wouldn't do something like that on purpose."

"I know... but I'm just being careful," nodded Greg. "I want you to be safe." With a light cough blossoming from the chill of the rainy night, he shut the door of the van and locked it. He and Steven quickly ran inside the car wash to avoid the torrential rain outside.

"Peridot? Where are you?" yelled Steven as he slipped off his wet sandals, leaving them to dry on the mat in the front entrance. "Peridot?"

He received no reply. Although he tried to fight it, he couldn't help but allow a wave of fear to wash over him. Thinking quickly, he ran to the room where the accident first happened. _"What if she ran away or something? I mean, if I've done it before, then what's stopping her...?"_

He ran through the open door of the room. He stopped dead in his tracks.

Peridot was indeed in the room. She was leaned against the wall, talking quietly to...

"Pearl?! Wh-what are you doing here?"

Both gems turned to look at him. Peridot's eyes widened. "Steven!"

Without any hesitation, the gem sprang up from where she had been sitting, screeching to a halt in front of the boy. She collected her breath as she knelt on one knee. She took both of his shoulders in her fingers.

"Steven, I'm _sorry._ I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm-"

"Peridot." She cut herself short. She was scared to look. But after a moment of hesitation, she glanced up from the floor into his eyes.

He smiled.

"It's okay. I forgive you."

* * *

"It's okay. I forgive you."

Before he had time to even think about what to say next, Steven gasped as he felt himself enveloped in the familiar embrace of Peridot. This time, however, it felt different. He could've sworn he heard her lightly sobbing as she rested her head on his shoulder. He was right.

And her grip on him only tightened further when he mirrored her gesture.

"It's okay, Peridot... it's okay..."

* * *

Pearl quietly gasped at the sight.

As soon as he walked in the room, she could tell there was no acting or falsehood from either of them. There was no trickery or pretending. What she was looking at was exactly as it appeared: the pure, unaltered friendship between Peridot and Steven. Aside from their very brief encounter in the Kindergarten, she had to confess she had yet to see it.

But she didn't have to wonder any longer. And unlike before, she wasn't opposed to it. Not at all.

Pearl stood up and walked to the two, their hug not moving an inch. She kneeled next to Steven and patiently waited. She noticed the cast on his right arm, but decided not to mention it.

She didn't want to interrupt the moment.

* * *

Steven shifted his head on Peridot's shoulder to his left. He caught a faint glimpse of Pearl's blue shirt.

And then it hit him.

"AH! P-P-Pearl! What are you doing here?"

"I was dropping by to give you your jacket. You left it at the temple. But, well, then I met Peridot here..." smiled Pearl. The boy broke of the hug and took a step back, his eyes bulging wide. This was all sounding way too familiar.

"Ah... Pearl, p-please, don't hurt her!" _"If only my stupid wrist wasn't injured! How can I defend her if I only have one arm?!"_ he thought as he desperately glanced back at his friend; much to his surprise, she didn't seem particularly worried, or even affected. Nevertheless, his gem began to glow underneath his shirt as he prepared to summon his shield.

"Steven, you don't need to worry," she said as she placed her hand on his shoulder. "I promise you, I'm not going to hurt Peridot. I have no reason to."

"But... Pearl, I thought-"

"About that." She smiled. "It's a bit of a long story."

* * *

"Steven? It's almost 10:00, it's time for bed. Where are you?"

Greg was thoroughly stumped. He had already check the garage, Steven's room, and his own, yet the boy was nowhere to be found. And for that matter, where was Peridot? Where did they run off to?

"Oh, not again..." shuddered Greg as he walked into main living area. He stopped.

Sitting in the middle of the floor was Pearl, a smiling and laughing Steven on her lap. Immediately opposite them was Peridot, who seemed to be laughing about something as well. Only one question popped in his mind in a flood of confusion.

"Um... Pearl? When did you get here?"

"Hello, Greg," said the blue and white gem, turning to look at the new entrant. "And to answer your question, I've been here for hours now. I was delivering Steven's jacket. I came by while you two were at the hospital."

"Oh. I guess that makes sense." Greg's gaze deflected to Peridot, who waved at him. "But I thought you didn't like... you know what? It doesn't matter." And with that, he turned around and walked into his room, shutting the door behind him.

"Okay... so as I was saying, there was this one time when one of your robonoids tried to-" Pearl's humorous story was interrupted yet again, this time from a loud, wide-faced yawn from the boy on her lap.

"I guess Greg wasn't kidding about bedtime." She laughed and rubbed the top of his head. Steven smiled and snuggled into her chest.

"No, I guess he wasn't... but seeing him just reminded me of something. Dad!"

"What?"

"I just remembered where the tape is! I'm going with Pearl back to the temple to use it!"

"Do you need a ride?" Greg opened the door of his room and stepped out, already fully dressed in pajamas. He walked to the kitchen counter and picked up his van keys. "Why did I leave these exposed?" he mumbled as he slipped them in his pocket.

"Yeah, a ride would be great, thanks!" His father nodded and walked out the front door of the car wash. The rain outside had ceased, eliminating the need for an umbrella or to hurry.

"So, I suppose you'll use that tape to heal your arm and come back?" asked Peridot.

"Not quite... I think I'm going to stay there overnight."

"Oh... I see. Well then, be sure to stay safe, as always."

Steven looked at her and smiled.

"Peridot, I'm not staying there by myself. You're coming with me."

* * *

 **Folks... this story has been a wonderful ride, but we're close to the end. There are three chapters left. This isn't just a spur of the moment thing; I've had the ending planned since the very beginning, but I've been debating when to reveal we're reaching that point. I figured now is as good a time as any.**

 **Anyways, I'm pretty sure I can guess the question on many of your minds: will there be a sequel? Well, in terms of a direct successor to this story, no, there will not be. I came here with a story to tell, and after the next three chapters, I'll have told it. I don't have any other directions to take this plot, and I see no point in extending a story beyond its natural life. It'll start to get stale after a while. (Please don't try to give me ideas for a sequel, either. It just isn't going to happen.)**

 **HOWEVER:**

 **I do have some happier news. While I'm not doing a sequel to this story, I do have an idea for another story in mind. I'll say three things about it:**

 **1\. It'll have Lapis and Jasper. You didn't think I just forgot about them, did you? (If you did, I don't blame you, lol.) Unless I really deviate from what I have in mind, I expect Peridot to be completely absent.**

 **2\. While there will be cute moments, it won't be the main focus like it is here. I'll be going for a slightly different style.**

 **3\. Remember what I said about me not being a control freak, and that I release chapters as soon as they're written? I'm changing that up. I'm going to write the entire story before I publish a single word. This'll allow me to go at my own pace, and I can't even begin to tell you how valuable of a tool that will be. It'll also allow me to have a consistent release schedule, something I've craved for a while now.**

 **For those curious, the new story will be called _Into Oblivion._ Why is it called that? You'll just have to find out... whenever it begins. I honestly can't give a really accurate estimate, but I'd say probably sometime around the summer. I'm not too sure, though, it may be sooner or later. I'm certain I'll do some one shots and stuff like that in the meantime, so it'll be fine.**

* * *

 **So... three chapters left. We'll talk more about that when we get there. But for now, let's enjoy what's coming next.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	26. Chapter 25

**Hello again, and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **Before we begin, I'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Here's to a fantastic 2016.**

 **Anyways, regarding the story, I guess you could say we've pretty much reached the beginning of the end. In case you missed my previous announcement, I said in the last chapter there are only three remaining. Now that this has been published, the number's fallen to two. Two chapters left...**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"_

 **Author's Note**

* * *

"Steven, are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Don't worry, Peridot, you'll be fine. We'll make sure of it."

Peridot slumped against the inside wall of the van, releasing a heartfelt groan as her eyes trickled to the rusted ceiling above. For once, being in the vehicle just didn't have the same thrill it usually did. "It's not that I don't trust you, but-"

"But nothing. If you were able to become friends with Pearl, then I have no doubt you can do it with Garnet and Amethyst, too." The young child looked to his right from his middle seat in the back of the van, earning a small, yet sincere smile from the blue and white gem as she gave him a pat on the shoulder. Peridot sighed.

"I guess..."

For the next few minutes, the van fell eerily silent, save for an occasional splash of water from the tires skipping through a puddle. Though nobody wanted to admit it, the atmosphere was rather tense; Steven knew that both Garnet and Amethyst could be very unpredictable if they wanted to be. Despite reassuring Peridot (and himself) that everything would be all right, was that really going to be the case? What were the other two Crystal Gems going to do?

"We're here," called Greg as the van slowly skidded to a stop, coming to rest on the beach in front of the enormous statue. They were about to find out.

Steven unbuckled his seat belt and yanked the side door of the van open, hopping out to the wet sands below. Pearl quickly followed suit, a noticeably sluggish Peridot trailing behind. She slid the door shut behind her.

"Okay, here's the plan," whispered Steven as the van began to pull away from the house, backing out onto the road once again. "I'll go in first and say I need the tape. Once I've healed my arm, I'll knock on the door from the inside of the house a few times. That'll be your cue to come in."

"Once you've healed your arm? Why does this have to be a process? Can't we just come in with you?" asked Pearl.

"No. If push comes to shove, I want my arm to be healthy so I can use my shield."

Pearl pursed her lips and shrugged her shoulders, her gaze turning away from the boy. Even if it was a little strange, she had to admit his strategy did make sense. He smiled at the gesture.

"Okay, let's go! Oh, and one more thing."

"What?"

"Pearl, make sure Peridot walks in behind you. We really don't want Amethyst's whip to grab her first."

* * *

BANG BANG!

Amethyst's head lazily shifted to the side from her spot on the couch, the sound of someone knocking at the door interrupting her power nap (for the second time that day, too). She couldn't help but groan at the not so pleasant experience of being ripped from dream land.

"Amethyst, get the door. It's probably Pearl," called Garnet from the kitchen counter. The purple gem rolled her eyes, secretly thankful the other didn't have eyes in the back of her head. Nevertheless, she stood up and dragged her feet to the entrance, pushing it open. "It's about time you got back, where have-"

Her eyes trickled down to the floor of the porch. It wasn't Pearl at all.

"Uh... hi, Steven."

"Hey Amethyst. Can I come in for a second?"

After a moment of dazed confusion, Amethyst snapped herself back to reality and stepped back into the foyer, making way for him to enter the house. Garnet stood up from the stool and walked next to her.

"Steven? What are you doing here so late?"

"Do you remember the tape that dad used to fix the Geode? I need to borrow that for a second."

"Borrow the tape? Why? You're not hurt somehow, are you?" To make sure, her top eye looked over the child. Nothing _seemed_ wrong with him, at a quick glance; why would he randomly drop by and say he-

And then she noticed the blue cast on his arm. Amethyst saw it too.

"... Steven? When did you get that?"

"When did I get what?"

"On your arm!" Amethyst pointed to the cast on his broken wrist. "You didn't have that the last time you were here. What happened?"

"This? Oh, uh... it was a little accident, heh heh. That's why I need the tape. I'll be back in a minute." Sensing the increasing awkwardness of their conversation, Steven bolted up the stairs as quickly as he could manage. Amethyst's gaze trailed after him for a moment before turning to Garnet.

"... Garnet?"

"Not now."

Amethyst audibly gulped, her throat suddenly feeling dry and leathery. Her cracked voice barely trickled above a whisper as her breathing slowed. "Garnet, is that... is that what you saw in your future vision? With Steven and Peridot?"

The fused gem said nothing. But even through the cover of her shades, Amethyst swore she could see her eyes shoot daggers.

 _"This isn't good..."_

* * *

"Now let's see, how should I do this...?

With the roll of tape in hand, Steven briefly glanced over his cast, searching for any sort of opening to slip the tape onto exposed skin. Deep down, however, he knew it was a fool's errand; Dr. Maheswaran and the others at the hospital were very, very good at their jobs. They wouldn't have allowed him to leave if his cast wasn't completely secure.

Grimacing as he poked and prodded the solid mold, Steven ran through his options. He knew putting the tape on the cast itself would be ineffective; it had to be applied directly to the affected area. "Maybe if I put it lower on my arm?" he mumbled to himself.

He shrugged. It was worth a shot.

Steven unraveled the smallest piece of tape he could manage, being careful not to waste any more than he needed. His hand hovered over his exposed lower arm, just below the end of the cast. He shut his eyes and applied the tape.

Almost at once, a strange sensation overtook his arm as it fell completely limp; he couldn't force it to move even if he wanted to. Unlike when it was first broken, however, it certainly wasn't uncomfortable. In a way, it felt like his arm wasn't there at all.

But it didn't last long. Almost as soon as it began, the numbing sensation disappeared as a euphoric wave of relief shook throughout his body, _especially_ his arm. As the enlightening sensation began to take a firm hold in his mind, he could literally feel the bone shifting back into its proper position, the pain from his arm fading away as it went along.

And just like that, it was over.

Although he couldn't properly move with the cast still stuck to his wrist, Steven smiled as he waved his arm every which way, any semblance of pain or discomfort gone without a trace. It was a very gratifying experience, to be sure.

 _"Now then, time to get rid of this cast,"_ he thought to himself as he hopped off his bed, his eyes trickling to the front door below. Once he did that, part two of his master plan could take effect.

* * *

"Hey, can one of you help me get this off?"

Amethyst and Garnet glanced up from the couch, their hushed whispers dying at once. Steven put on a smile as he finished his descent down the stairs and walked to the two, though he had a pretty good guess on what they were talking about. And it wasn't good.

"Help you get what off? The cast?" asked Amethyst, after a rather extended silence.

"Yeah. My wrist is all healed, so you don't need to worry about that. Can you help me out?"

"Yeah yeah, just hold still for a second..." mumbled Amethyst, nodding. Without missing a beat, she reached for her gem and summoned her whip. Closing one eye to aim, she waved her wrist as gently as she could manage. The weapon cracked through the air and struck his blue cast, shattering it to pieces.

"Thank you," said Steven as he waved his arm around, enjoying the newfound freedom the loss of his cast provided. Amethyst nodded and dissipated her whip. She glanced towards Garnet, her mouth hanging open as her eyes grew wide. She knew what was coming next.

"Steven."

The boy looked up. "What?"

Garnet said nothing as she stood up and slowly walked towards him. And although he didn't see it, her fists were tightly clenched behind her back, her expression as stone cold as ever. Amethyst gulped. The room suddenly felt rather chilly.

"Steven..." she said quietly, kneeling down in front of him. "You weren't injured when you visited us earlier today. How did you get hurt?"

"Um... it was an accident, I already told you that."

"Don't lie to me."

Steven's eyes shot wide open, his feet instinctively backing himself away from her. As soon as those final words escaped her lips, he knew exactly where this conversation was going. This wasn't a friendly chat or small talk. This was an interrogation.

"I-I'm not lying! I told you, it was an accident!"

"I know Peridot was involved in this one way or another. What did she do to you? Tell me!"

Peridot? Peridot didn't-" Steven stopped himself short of denying her involvement. He wasn't lying when he said it was an accident-he knew with 100% certainty that it was-but Garnet did have a point. It _was_ Peridot who injured him, like she said. She was right.

 _"This is going to be more tricky than I thought..."_ he thought to himself. His gaze shot to the front door for the briefest moment.

"Steven, I'm not going to ask again. What did Peridot do to hurt you?"

Steven wiped a drop of sweat from the side of his face. He was cornered.

"... She broke my wrist during a game we were playing. But I'm not lying when I said it was an accident."

Garnet placed a hand on her chin, diverting her eyes away from the boy as she carefully processed his explanation. She couldn't detect any sense of deceit or trickery in his voice or body language; was he actually telling the truth?

"Steven, are you completely certain there wasn't any intent on her part? How do you know?"

Now it was Steven's turn to ball his fists. He had already given the honest truth, why couldn't she accept it? Why did she refuse to see Peridot in anything but a negative light? It was almost like the feud all over again, with her stubbornness.

And it was time to change that.

"You know what, Garnet? Why ask me?" Steven didn't take his eyes off her as he slowly backed to the front entrance of the house. He raised his fist. "Why not ask her yourself?"

He hit the door. Twice.

* * *

"But what did he mean when he said he I'd be grabbed by her whip? Does he know for sure they're going to attack me? Is this some kind of trap?!"

"Peridot, I'm sure he was joking when he said that. You'll be fine."

No matter what Pearl said to reassure her, it all seemed to fall on deaf ears. Peridot shook her head as she brought her knees to her chest, gently rocking back and forth on the steps leading up to the front porch. The other gem couldn't help but smile at the scene as she put her hand on her shoulder.

"Hey... don't worry. It'll be okay, I promise."

"YOU DON'T KNOW THAT! We have no clue what they're going to do when I go in there! But I've seen what the fused one-"

"Garnet."

"-Garnet can do, with those gigantic gauntlet things! She'll tear me to shreds! She'll shatter my gem!"

As the possibilities flew out of Peridot's mouth, Pearl's expression went blank as she thought long and hard about what the other gem was saying. And the more she thought, the more she realized she _was_ bringing up a valid point. Garnet was as fearsome a fighter as any gem she ever knew, and Amethyst was no slouch either. Could she possibly hope to ward them off if it came to that?

But she knew it wouldn't get that far.

"Peridot... I'm completely confident we can change their minds, Steven and I. And besides, once they see you for who you really are, I'm sure they'll see differently." _"Kind of like how I did..."_

Peridot wiped the corner of her eye, her gaze deflecting to the gem next to her. "... Do you mean that?"

Pearl smiled.

Just then, their conversation was interrupted by two loud bangs coming from the front door. She stood up at once.

"That must be Steven signaling for us to come in. C'mon, let's go." Peridot said nothing as she clutched her legs tighter, immobilizing herself on the staircase. Pearl sighed. "Peridot..."

"I know... just give me a moment."

* * *

"Uh, Steven? Why did you just hit the door?"

The child in question didn't bother to look at Amethyst or respond to her question, his attention instead turning to the window. Hitting the door twice was the key; they should've at least been on the porch by now, what was taking them so long?

And then he saw her. First Pearl, and then Peridot. Exactly the order he instructed them to be in. He looked away from the glass and towards Garnet and Amethyst.

"Guys... be ready to hear us out."

The door swung open. Pearl walked in.

"... Pearl? What took you so long to-"

Garnet never finished whatever she was about to say. The next gem to walk in the house was the reason why.

* * *

 _"This is a catastrophe."_

Steven's mind could process no other thought as he watched the scene in front of him unfold. It was almost like a train wreck: it's a disaster, to be sure, but at the same time, one can't look away.

When he formulated his strategy on the beach, he had a grand vision in mind: Pearl and Peridot bravely entering the house after he set the table for their introductions, pleasant greeting all around, and then eternal friendship. That's how it was supposed to go.

Nothing was further from the truth. In reality, what he got was... Pearl bravely entering the house after he set the table for their introductions, Peridot on the verge of a nervous breakdown, a murderous looking Garnet, and a too stunned to say anything Amethyst. The same could probably apply to himself.

 _"Yeah... not my best idea."_

The silence was awkward to the point of it being painful. It took nearly a full minute before Pearl cleared her throat.

"Um... hello, Gar-"

"YOU! WHAT ARE _YOU_ DOING HERE?!"

In a very uncharacteristic bout of rage, Garnet summoned her gauntlets, their size at least twice as large as normal. Amethyst's whip materialized at once, it's length especially long so it could reach from her current distance. Her eyes spelled exactly what she wanted to do next.

At the sight of the summoned weapons, Peridot lightly shrieked and tightly grabbed the shoulders of Pearl, trembling furiously. The blue and white gem reached her hand behind her and gently came to rest on her shoulder, reaffirming her.

"Pearl, move!" shouted Amethyst, leaning over to catch a glimpse of the Homeworld gem. "I can't grab her with you in the way like that!"

"Amethyst, put your weapon away."

"Put my weapon away? What are you, crazy? Don't you know who's behind you?!"

"I know _exactly_ who's behind me, and I also know I'm not going to let you hurt her! Now put your weapon away, and don't make me ask again!"

Garnet watched the scene in front of her with intense interest, her gauntlets still raised and ready to go. Before she could act, however, one question begged and pleaded in her mind to be released.

"Pearl, why are you _defending_ Peridot? Don't you know she's the one who injured Steven?"

"That was an accident, Garnet." Pearl's stoic expression didn't move at the newest challenge from her teammate. "And what I just told Amethyst applies to you as well. Please put your gauntlets away."

Garnet's eyes blinked in surprise at Pearl's quick reasoning; she had been expecting a reaction of surprise and anger from her teammate. It seemed like the most logical outcome in her future vision. But she wasn't even close.

And then it hit her.

"Wait a second... Pearl, did you just say it was an accident?" She nodded.

In Garnet's mind, that one little gesture just made the whole scene in front of her infinitely more complicated. She could understand Steven claiming Peridot hurting him was unintentional-it was very obvious from their encounter in the Kindergarten that he would stand up for her (for some reason), no matter what-but to hear Pearl do the same? Why would she turn around 180 degrees from her previous stance on the Homeworld gem, one that viewed her as an enemy? A threat?

What was going on?

* * *

Steven couldn't make himself watch anymore. Not without doing something.

Before anything else, the young boy ran in front of Pearl and held out his arms to his sides, in a protective manner. Both Garnet and Amethyst froze at the sight, quickly lowering their weapons to minimize the risk of accidentally hitting him.

"Guys, stop! Just hear us out!"

"Hear you out? Steven, we've already heard everything we need to know!" said Amethyst. "Peridot's the one who injured you! Even if it was an accident, who's to say she won't do worse to you later? You can't trust her!"

"I _know_ what happened, and I also know it was an accident, even if you won't believe it! But just forget about that for a second. You see... I don't think you're seeing the bigger picture here."

"The bigger picture? What do you mean by that?" Garnet gazed inquisitively at the child, hidden behind the protective covering of her shades. As far as she was concerned, there wasn't anything else they needed to know. Even if Pearl and Steven were defending her, there was no point in trying to change the truth. Peridot was dangerous.

Steven glanced around at each member of the room, his eyes finally coming to rest on Peridot. She hadn't moved since she walked into the house, and she was crouched low behind Pearl to keep out of sight of the other two Crystal Gems. He couldn't help but wonder what was running through her mind.

"... Yes, Garnet, the bigger picture. Like I said a minute ago, throw away the whole arm injury thing. Just look at her. Does she really-"

"Steven?"

The boy stopped talking at once, his gaze locking onto the gem who interrupted him. "Pearl, what do you want? This is important."

"I understand that," she nodded. "And what I want is..." Her voice trailed off as she made eye contact with Amethyst, only for it to be broken by the purple gem almost at once. She rolled her eyes.

"I want to be the one to talk to them."

* * *

 _"She wants to talk to them? About Peridot?"_

"But... but why? Pearl, I get you two are on better terms now and all that, but what would you-"

"Steven, just give me an opportunity. I already know what I'm going to say."

Steven scratched the top of his head and took a deep breath. He knew Pearl was a far better speaker than he was, but he couldn't understand her eagerness to volunteer. Not even a day ago, she hated Peridot. Would she really be able to convince Garnet and Amethyst that her former enemy _wasn't_ an enemy anymore, after such a quick turnaround? What was her plan?

Whatever it was, it probably couldn't hurt. Probably.

"Fine. Go ahead."

Pearl nodded and cleared her throat. Without so much as a second thought, she walked a few steps forward towards Garnet, leaving Peridot behind in her wake. Steven immediately ran to his friend's side, carefully watching the whip of Amethyst as he grabbed her in his arms.

"Steven, what's she going to do? And they still going to attack?" whispered Peridot as she brought him closer, holding him like her life depended on it. For all she knew, it very well might have.

"I don't know. But let's hear her out."

* * *

Pearl came to a halt and took a deep breath. She shut her eyes and collected her thoughts.

"Garnet..."

They blinked open once more.

"When I left the house earlier today, I was just like you, and Amethyst. I didn't trust Peridot. I'm sure you remember the little conversation we had earlier today, the one where you used your future vision?"

"I do. I foresaw something bad happening to Steven, and it related to Peridot. And I was right."

Pearl nodded, breaking eye contact as her gaze trickled to the ground. "Yes... you were. It was Peridot's fault Steven got hurt."

Garnet had to suppress a strange temptation to laugh. If Pearl was trying to convince her, or even Amethyst that Peridot was somehow good, or that she was redeemable in one way or another, she was failing miserably. On the contrary, it was almost like she was backing herself into a corner.

At least, until she once again looked at her teammate. And the determination in her eyes.

"But Garnet, despite the fact you can see ahead of us all, you just don't get it. Even though Peridot _did_ injure Steven, I can say, with complete certainty, that it was an accident!"

"With complete certainty? How? What do you possibly know that makes you 'completely certain?'" snapped Garnet.

"... I'm not going to sugar coat it. It can be hard to admit you're wrong, and you and I know this better than anyone... but you're going to have to, because I know I'm right! And I know I'm right because unlike you, I actually _know_ who Peridot is! Not just as a Peridot, but a living, breathing, gem with her own personality! And the Peridot I know would _never do_ _anything_ to hurt him!"

"What are you talking about? You know who Peridot is? What kind of a stupid thing to say is that?!" shouted Amethyst, jumping in for the first time. "We ALL know who she is, Pearl! She's a Homeworld gem who's here on a mission! Once she does that mission, whatever it is, she'll just drop everything and go! We already know _exactly_ what she is!"

"Amethyst..." Pearl sighed, her eyelids drooping as a frown curled her lips. She looked down at the floor.

"It's like I just said. I used to think the same thing... I was convinced I _knew,_ for a fact, that she loyally served Homeworld at all costs, and nothing else mattered to her. And I also thought she saw Steven as nothing but some tool to further her agenda."

Garnet's three eyes quickly shot to the child in question at the mention of his name: he was hugging Peridot tightly as they sat against the way, and she was doing the same. Her lips curled into an indistinguishable frown, her mind going to great lengths to keep it hidden. But Pearl saw it anyways.

"Garnet, do you agree with Amethyst? About what she just said?"

"... I do. And I believed you did the same. I don't understand why you've changed."

"About that..." Pearl's voice trailed off, the room falling dead silent as she did the same. Garnet and Amethyst hastily glanced at each other, their faces betraying their shared sense of anticipation. What was she planning to say next?

"Garnet, when I went to drop off Steven's jacket at the car wash, they weren't there. Their van wasn't parked in the driveway, so I let myself inside to leave it in there. I'm sure I don't need to tell you who I met."

At the unnamed mention of her presence, Peridot shut her eyes and lay her head on Steven's shoulder, as if doing so would somehow shut out the world. He responded in kind by gently rubbing circles on her back, whispering something into her ear.

Garnet dissipated her gauntlets, her eyes focused on the pair like a hawk. Amethyst didn't move.

Pearl continued. "I didn't know what to think. I mean, seeing your greatest enemy... crying her eyes out on the floor? What are you supposed to do during something like that?"

"I'm not sure, Pearl," sighed Garnet. "Get to the point."

"I AM at the point! IV'E BEEN AT THE POINT ALL ALONG!" snapped Pearl, startling the fused gem and causing her to take a step back in surprise. "Tell me, if Peridot's _really_ as heartlessly evil as you say, then why would she be in TEARS, ON THE FLOOR, over breaking Steven's wrist?"

Amethyst gulped, her voice catching in her throat. The last time Pearl had such an outburst was when, well... when everyone wasn't exactly on the best of terms with each other. And much to her anguish, it seemed that was very much the case once more.

"B-but how do you know that's why?"

"Because it was something I learned, Amethyst. It was something I learned,when I actually had an honest conversation with her. With my _friend..."_

Pearl's head slowly turned away from Garnet and Amethyst as she spoke, her tightly clenched her teeth helping to project her voice from her throat in a strange, guttural growl. She didn't even need to directly look at her teammates to gauge their reactions.

"Your... friend?"

"Yes, Garnet. My friend. You heard me right."

* * *

Garnet felt a drop of sweat roll down the back of her neck.

Upon thinking it over, it didn't take a detective to see how Pearl and Peridot's relationship had substantially changed in the past few hours. After all, one simply doesn't go from worst enemy status to someone worthy of protection, and Pearl was one of the most stubborn gems she ever knew. A change as dramatic as this didn't just happen.

But in her mind, there was always a logical explanation to explain her odd behavior, an easy cop out. Wasn't Steven was putting her up to all of this? After all, what other reason would she have to defend her most hated nemesis? If he was completely adamant on making sure Peridot was okay, then how difficult would it _really_ be to persuade Pearl to join his side? After the whole episode of him running away, there was probably very little she wouldn't do to guarantee his trust and cooperation.

But now the truth was out. This had nothing to do with Steven at all. She wasn't defending Peridot because she was tasked with it, almost like a commissioned job. It wasn't anything as simple as that, or callous.

She was doing it because she felt a personal obligation. An obligation to help her friend. The words came right out of her own mouth.

 _"But there's something I don't understand..."_

Garnet paused. She knew she was about to sail into waters none of them liked to even go near. But there was no other option to get her point across.

"But, Pearl... Peridot's from _Homeworld!_ How can you possibly form an alliance with a gem from there? After the rebellion?"

As soon as she finished speaking, both of Garnet's hands clenched into fists. Her mind put her senses on high alert, her limbs tightening to prepare to dodge an attack at any moment. Her eyes carefully scanned over Pearl like a hawk, focusing on her arms and her gem.

If there was one thing in the whole universe Pearl (as well as herself) absolutely hated to speak of, save for when it was absolutely necessary, it was her time on Homeworld. It was true she had many fond memories of their ultimate victory in the rebellion, as well as her time with Rose, but life on Homeworld itself was another matter entirely. To the best of her memory, she had hardly uttered a word about it since Steven was born.

It only made sense to be on guard. How was she going to react? Her future vision wasn't going to help her narrow it down.

 _"Still... if that's really the case, then why is she so friendly with Peridot? Why would she willingly put herself near someone that would remind her of everything she hates? Of what we fought to break AWAY from?"_

Garnet's thoughts came to a screeching halt as Pearl moved her arms. She prepared to jump out of the way, or to summon her gauntlets to block a spear attack. She held her breath

But she wasn't reaching for her gem at all. Rather than looking like she was preparing to strike, Pearl instead crossed her arms. And then she started to... laugh?

"Oh, Garnet, if you only knew..." she mumbled to herself as she continued to chuckle. The gem in question's wariness immediately converted to frustration, all three of her eyes steeling into an angry glare from behind her shades.

"If I only knew? If I only knew what? Pearl, explain yourself!"

"If you only knew what she TOLD ME, Garnet!" Pearl's laughter died on the spot, her posture once again assuming the tenseness of a few moments prior. "All of this didn't just happen for no reason!"

"Then what _is_ the reason? Quit beating around the bush and get to the point!" Amethyst didn't mean to blurt out and interrupt what she knew had essentially become a private conversation between Pearl and Garnet, but she saw no other way. Her teammate could truly be infuriating sometimes.

"... You know what? Garnet, go ahead and use your future vision to see what I'm about to say next. And I'll leave you two to talk it over."

Without another word spoken to either, Pearl's gem began to glow as she focused her glare to the temple door ahead. The stone entrance cracked open, revealing the water spouts constituting the interior of her room. She turned around.

"Steven, Peridot, you two can spend the night with me. If you'll come this way."

Needing no further encouragement, Peridot sprang to her feet, grabbing Steven in her arms with surprising strength. Cradling him almost like a football, she sprinted as fast as she could through the door, the child yelling something incomprehensible all the way through. Pearl covered her mouth and suppressed a laugh at her friend's silliness as she followed behind.

She stepped inside her room. But just before she ordered the entrance to close, she glanced back at Garnet. She hadn't moved.

Pearl's face fell into a frown. The door slammed shut.

* * *

Amethyst took a deep breath. Her gaze deflected to Garnet.

"Is she serious? She just led us along for all that time, only to leave like THAT? What the heck is that garbage?!" Much to her annoyance, her ranting seemed to fall on deaf ears; her companion hadn't moved a muscle since Pearl finished talking. "I mean, I get she was trying to be all dramatic, but... Garnet?"

The gem in question said nothing. But unbeknownst to her teammate, her eyes shot open wide behind her shades. She quietly gulped.

 _"So that's why..."_

* * *

 **I'm not going to release the next chapter until I've written the rest of the story (two chapters). This is so I can give an exact date and time as to when the finale will be published.**

 **So, two chapters left... it's kind of weird to think about. I mean, I've been writing this story for months, and now it's finally reaching its conclusion. I didn't have any doubts about the ending then and I don't have any now, but still... I'm going to miss writing this. It's been an absolute joy since day one, and I truly do mean that. 100%.**

 **Well then, I'll see you all next time. And there aren't going to be many next times, so let's enjoy what's coming next.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	27. Chapter 26

**Hey everyone, and welcome back to Don't Even Bother.**

 **(Spoilers from the most recent Steven Bomb are in this author's note. If you haven't seen the episodes and don't want to be spoiled, skip right to the chapter.)**

 **Well... it's official. Peridot's redemption is complete. And I have to say, after thinking about it, it's rather bittersweet. I mean, it's absolutely wonderful to see her a Crystal Gem now—I think we were all hoping for that, myself included—but it also brings an end to what I will now call the "Peridot Redemption Era" of Steven Universe fan fiction. Now that she's officially a Crystal Gem, there's no point in writing these kinds of stories anymore, and they were some of my favorites. It'll be a little sad to let them go.**

 **But hey... Peridot's a Crystal Gem now. And we all know they'll do a fantastic job with it. Now end the hiatus, thank you very much.**

 **(Spoilers end here.)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _Thoughts_

 **Author's Note**

* * *

"What on Earth...?"

As far as Peridot was concerned, her eyes were playing tricks on her, her mind forming the image that lay ahead from nothing. She had to be seeing things. And if she wasn't, how could this room possibly be real? How could _any_ of this be real?

She tightly shut her eyes, shaking her head to dispel the illusion. She did it again for good measure.

Nope. Everything was still there.

Her mouth agape and her eyes wide, Peridot took a step into the expansive chamber before her. It was only as the Earth's water touched her limb enhancer that she considered the possibility of a malfunction, but even that didn't matter to her. If her limb enhancers, manufactured and produced on Homeworld, decided to break down on her, then so be it. All she cared about was what surrounded her.

"Pearl..." she whispered to the starry sky above. "This is... beautiful..."

"PERIDOT! PUT ME DOWN!"

Peridot sharply gasped, her senses rushing back to her on a whim as she looked down. Sure enough, Steven was still firmly settled (and now furiously squirming) in her arms, her arms tightly blocking any form of escape for him. His short arms and legs desperately flailed in the air, the tips of his fingers grazing her visor.

"Oh... my apologies, Steven." True to his request, Peridot squatted and put him down on the spot, right into the ankle deep water below. His head shot up above the surface at once, his lungs filling with air as he took a deep breath.

"Agh! What the heck was that for?!"

"What? What did I do?"

Steven slowly rose to his feet, a process made all the more difficult by his shirt and jeans tightly clinging to him. He crossed his arms as he began to shiver, the chill of the nighttime air combining with his soaked body to intensify the cold. "What did you do? You just dropped me in the water!"

"I was following your directions!" snapped Peridot. "You said for me to put you down! Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Not like that!"

"But then how was I supposed to... you know what? Forget it." Peridot looked away from the child and to the stars once more, her eyes regaining the same awed glint of a few moments prior. Steven's frustration evaporated at once as he saw his friend's look of amazement, his former scowl replaced with a smile.

"... Peridot?"

She said nothing, nor did she make any attempt to. Her eyes remained fixed in place as she took a seat, regardless of the water below her, her mouth falling open as she looked over the endless rows of crystalline waterfalls.

Unbeknownst to Peridot, a small frown formed on Steven's face as his eyes scanned over the waterfalls as well, finally honing in on one in particular. The biggest one of all, in the center of the room. It was the spot of the beginning.

 _"You know, it was right there where I heard Pearl talking to herself... holding that painting of my mom. I guess I chose to run away right then and there... what would it be like today if I didn't come in here? Would they STILL be fighting? And for that matter, would I have met...?"_

Steven's gaze trickled down to the statuesque Peridot sitting below. She hadn't moved a muscle in some time now, though he imagined her eyes were flickering around, taking in as many sights as she could manage. What was going through her head? Whatever it was, he hoped she could wait for a minute.

Steven walked next to Peridot and sat down. Sensing a golden opportunity, he scooted next to her and wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her into the gesture of friendship he had done so many times before. She lightly gasped at the startling contact, her head shooting down to meet him.

"What the... oh. Hello." She smiled as she in turn put _her_ arms around the child, ignoring his frigid body temperature from the cold water she... _accidentally_ drenched him in. "Are you okay?" she whispered into his ear.

"Peridot... you see that big waterfall? In the middle?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Well..." Steven allowed himself a quick bout of shivering from the cold air all around. Peridot brought him closer to help him fight the temperature away. "I was just thinking. Did I ever tell you about when I chose to run away?"

"You've told me _why_ before. Many times." Peridot rested her chin on the top of his head, her fingers absentmindedly running through his soaked hair. "Isn't that what you mean?"

"Not quite... I'm talking about the exact moment I chose to leave. It was right here, in this room." His voice fell to a hushed whisper, his eyes quickly darting around the room to make sure Pearl wasn't within earshot. "You see, on that big waterfall over there, I heard Pearl talking to herself. She was holding up a portrait of my mom, saying how she wished she was here. I guess... I guess I took it as her saying she'd rather have my mom than me."

 _"Oh dear..."_ thought Peridot as her eyes closed. She knew how sensitive Steven was to the topic of his mother, and she had a hunch this wasn't going to have a happy ending. "Steven, I'm sorr-"

"No no, it's okay! I mean, think about it for a second... if I didn't overhear her that day, than I wouldn't have left. She and Garnet would probably still be fighting, and..."

"... And?"

Steven closed his eyes, leaning into her side and holding her tight. He smiled.

"And I wouldn't have met you..."

* * *

"Okay... done."

Pearl wiped her forehead and released her long held breath, a smile spreading across her face from a job well done. At last, the room was _completely_ secure, safe from any undesired intrusions from Garnet or Amethyst (probably Amethyst). Unless she explicitly allowed someone, there was no way in.

Blinking a few drops of stray water from her eyes, Pearl jumped from the top of one of the many waterfalls, landing gracefully on her feet. She looked towards the door, the same spot she had remembered seeing Peridot run to with Steven in her arms. A quiet bout of laughter broke free from her as she remembered the scene.

"Steven?" she called, after allowing herself a moment. "Peridot? Are you-"

She stopped cold.

Pearl answered her own question as she saw the familiar sight of Peridot, sitting in the shallow pool with a thoroughly soaked Steven Steven in her arms. From what she could gather in the distance, she was gently rocking him back and forth, whispering something in his ear. He wasn't quite asleep yet, as he occasionally moved in her embrace, but he was definitely getting there.

Pearl covered her mouth with her hand.

 _"I-I knew the two of them were close, but this... no wonder Steven went to such lengths to protect her. And she would do just the same..._

 _... why can't Garnet see that?"_

Though no part of her wanted to disturb the beauty ahead of her, Pearl saw no other option. She forced her feet to drag her to where they were sitting, the splash of her footsteps alerting them to her presence. She smiled at the pair as she sat down next to them.

"I sealed all the entrances to this room from the outside. Garnet and Amethyst won't have any way to get in."

Peridot breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes flickering to the starry sky above as she thanked her friend in her mind. Steven, on the other hand, loudly yawned in her arms, giving Pearl a thumbs up. She nodded and leaned back on her elbows, crossing her feet.

For the next few minutes, nobody dared to say anything (aside from an occasional yawn from the very sleepy child in Peridot's lap). After the relatively hectic day they had all suffered, a moment of peace and quiet was certainly very valued indeed. Nevertheless, as was very often the case, Steven was the first to crack.

"Um... Pearl?"

She turned to look at him. "Yes, Steven?"

"I was just thinking..." Much to Peridot's disappointment, Steven gently pushed himself out of her arms and sat up straight, forming eye contact with Pearl. "Are you sure what you did was the right thing?"

"What I did? You mean back in the house?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I mean, Garnet and Amethyst didn't really seem convinced. Are you sure we couldn't have handled that better?"

"Oh, Steven..." chuckled Pearl. She reached over and ran her hand through his hair, earning a few giggles from him. "Trust me, I think I got across to them loud and clear."

"But how do you know?" piped in Peridot. She bit her tongue at once. Much to her relief, however, Pearl didn't appeal upset at her doubt; on the contrary, she smiled and turned to face her.

"I know them better than anyone, Peridot. I can tell if they believe something or not, and Garnet will believe me soon enough." Her left hand fidgeted with the hem of her shirt behind her back. She quickly wiped away a drop of sweat with her right. "And besides..."

"... Besides what?"

Pearl looked away and gazed over the rows crystalline waterfalls. She released a content sigh, her smile fixed in place.

"I hope you'll get to know them, too. I really do."

* * *

 _"Jeez, she's been standing there for the past TWENTY MINUTES! Is she ever going to move?!"_

Amethyst didn't hesitate to let her feelings be known as she loudly groaned, rolling on her side as she once again glanced over Garnet. Much to her annoyance, she was standing frozen in the exact same spot she had been the last time she checked. And the time before that. And the time before _that._

"Hey, Garnet? Earth to Garnet, are you in there?"

Her teammate said nothing, although Amethyst noticed her hand clench into a fist, before quickly loosening again. It was her left hand. The hand with Ruby's gem.

"Ugh... well, if you're just going to spend all night thinking, I'm going to sleep. G'night." Amethyst rolled over and faced the side cushions of the couch, closing her eyes and letting loose a yawn. "And maybe Pearl will snap back to her senses, too..." she mumbled to herself.

"Amethyst!"

Her eyes shot open. Her teeth ground against each other as she whirled around, facing Garnet once again.

"What do you want? I was about to go to sleep, what's the big deal?"

"We need to talk."

Amethyst's anger quickly gave way to a flood of confusion, her eyebrows creasing as she tried to make out Garnet's expression through her shades. She certainly hadn't been expecting her to say something like that. "We need to talk? About what?"

"About Peridot."

"Peridot? What about Peridot?" Amethyst slammed her hands against the coffee table as Garnet took a seat at the far end of the couch. "We already know everything we need to about her! And to be honest, I used to think Pearl knew that as well. Guess I was wrong."

"Amethyst..." Garnet crossed her arms. Her feet remained rooted to the floor as she leaned back against the cushions. "You don't understand. Do you remember what Pearl said to me just before she went into her room?"

"Yeah, something about using your future vision... is that what you were just doing for the past little while?"

"Yes. Usually, it only takes me a few seconds to use my future vision. And when I use it, I see many different alleys and pathways; there are hundreds, if not thousands of different scenarios with many different outcomes. There isn't a set future for anyone, as it becomes what you work for it to be."

"... Why are you telling me this?"

"Because..." Garnet removed her shades and gently placed them on the coffee table. Her three eyes bore into Amethyst's two. "What I saw was unlike almost anything I've seen before. There were no diversions or other possibilities. There was only one future."

"Well, what was it? Tell me!" Amethyst's eyes grew wide as the sense of anticipation increased; Garnet didn't dance around the point like this very often. Whatever she saw, it must have been big.

"Amethyst... listen to me, and listen very carefully. What I am about to tell you is exactly what happened between Pearl and Peridot at the car wash. There is no dishonesty or trickery, so _don't even think_ about accusing me of lying. Do you understand?"

Amethyst gulped. But she nodded.

"... When I looked into Pearl's future, I saw a private conversation, with just the two of us in the room. But she was the only one talking. I stood there and listened. I didn't interrupt at any point."

Amethyst's eyes grew wide. Finally, she was about to get some answers to the biggest question of all: why was Pearl acting so strange? Whatever it was that changed her, it had to have happened at the car wash. She forced herself to calm down for a moment, allowing a deep breath.

"She told me... she told me when she sat down next to Peridot, she scrambled and yelled for her to go away. She was terrified."

Amethyst couldn't help but sneer. _"Yeah, I bet she was..."_

"But then Pearl told her what was on her mind... she said she thought Peridot wasn't dangerous anymore. And it was enough to get her to listen."

"Garnet... I still don't see where you're going with this." interrupted Amethyst. "Can you please just cut to the chase?"

Garnet's eyes locked with the floor. "Very well. After a little back and forth talk between the two-no real hostility, just a little talk between them-Peridot confessed something to Pearl. Something rather important."

"... What? What did she say?"

Garnet took a deep breath once again. She looked into Amethyst's eyes.

"She said, in these _exact_ words, 'You don't need to worry about me harming the Earth anymore. What reason would I have if I don't serve Homeworld anymore?'"

* * *

Amethyst's mouth fell open. A rather sizable lump suddenly made itself known in the confines of her throat.

"R-really?"

"Yes. It's as I said before, Amethyst. None of this story is fabricated."

The purple gem ran a hand across the top of her head, leaning back deep into the couch cushions. Her expression hadn't moved from a moment ago. She ran through what she just heard in her mind.

 _"Is... is this true? Did Peridot really tell her that? But something doesn't seem right..."_

"But... but why? Why would she say something like that? It must have been a trick, or maybe-"

"Let me finish. Pearl had essentially the same reaction as you; she asked if she was being honest, and, more importantly, why she was deciding to stay on Earth. Rather than returning to Homeworld, like we assumed she would."

"And what did _Peridot_ say?" Amethyst's feet tapped silently, yet furiously on the floor. She had to physically force herself to slow down enough to concentrate.

"... First of all, even if she wanted to, Peridot can't go back. Remember the communications hub?" Amethyst nodded.

"Well, that was her ticket off the planet, a last ditch effort to contact Homeworld. And since we destroyed it, she had no way to escape. We trapped her here. But that was only one reason."

"Then what else is there?"

Garnet locked her fingers together, nervously fidgeting with each other. Each of her three eyes gave off an indecisive glare.

"She also said... she doesn't want to leave because of Steven. And everything he's done for her."

Both gems fell silent. Amethyst pondered for a moment.

"... What he's done for her? Like what?"

For the first time since their chat began, the Earth born gem felt a sense of complete and utter confusion at what to expect next. Even when Steven himself explained what he did while he was away, it seemed he was extremely careful to avoid any mention of Peridot. Whatever was about to come out of Garnet's mouth next was truly a mystery.

She cleared her throat. Amethyst held her breath.

"That's a broad question, and Peridot wasn't very specific about it. But what she _did_ say was that she was happier living with him than she had ever been in her life on Homeworld. Essentially, she didn't want to leave because... she'd be leaving Steven. Not because she had no other choice."

Amethyst's face remained stoic. But her mind was a storm.

 _"Did she... Peridot said that? Peridot? The same one from the ship? From what I remember, it seemed like she didn't care about anything but her mission for Homeworld. And now all of a sudden she doesn't WANT to leave? Because of him?"_

"Garnet, I don't understand. Why would she—"

Amethyst was cut off as Garnet raised her left hand, as if ordering her to be silent. She did so at once.

"We can discuss that later. It's what she said next that's more important."

"And that is...?"

* * *

Peridot looked down in her lap. He was still as fast asleep as ever.

Quietly releasing a sigh to the sky above, the former Homeworld gem began to gently rub the top of his head, a smile spreading across his face as he tightened the hold his blanket had around him. Try as she might, Peridot couldn't stop herself from grinning ear-to-ear at the scene.

It didn't exactly take Pearl long to convince Steven he needed his rest; after the little incident with being dropped in the water, his exhaustion had returned with a vengeance (probably because it was more than three hours past his bedtime). Furthermore, while the water was rather chilly, the room itself was surprisingly warm and cozy, especially on the little dry area near the door.

Throw all of these factors together, and the end result is a tired Steven sleeping like a baby. He had asked Peridot if she wanted to share the blanket with him, but she politely declined. She said she didn't feel like sleeping that night.

Besides, she couldn't let him see what she was going to do next.

Moving as carefully as she could, Peridot lifted Steven's head from her lap, laying it to rest on the floor. Quickly glancing around the room for any sign of Pearl, she stood up and inched to the door, suppressing the noise her limb enhancers made as best she could.

The door.

Though Pearl and Steven wouldn't admit it, Peridot knew the truth. They could defend her and try to reason with Garnet and Amethyst all they wanted, but at the end of they day, they weren't getting anywhere. Didn't they _see_ how the other two reacted? Their very best efforts didn't make a lick of difference. They still hated her.

And as wondrous as it was, they couldn't just spend forever hiding in Pearl's room.

As she ran her fingers across the cold stone, Peridot shut her eyes and leaned her forehead against the door. _"They're not going to listen to me... will they just attack as soon as I show my face? Probably... but what else is there to do but talk to them myself? What other choice is there?"_

She glanced at Steven out of the corner of her eye. He hadn't moved from where she left him. And despite all the thoughts running through her mind, she couldn't help but smile.

"For Steven... and myself..."

Peridot closed her eyes and concentrated. The ship she had piloted to Earth had controls remarkably similar to the system operating the door, and using it to its potential was no trouble at all. She pictured the interior of the house in her mind.

It opened.

* * *

Peridot didn't open her eyes.

She could almost picture their reactions, regardless of what was actually running though their minds. Right now, they were probably summoning their weapons, taking careful aim to strike her gem, firing without a shred of remorse or regret...

Her eyes blinked open. She was just a little off.

Garnet and Amethyst sat frozen in place, their faces revealing nothing as they both stared her down with... curiosity? Hesitation? Whatever it was, it certainly felt different. They weren't shouting threats or drawing their weapons like she expected them to; no, they were actually rather... calm. Not even Garnet seemed particularly spiteful, and the removal of her silver visor made it _much_ easier to tell what she was feeling.

The more she thought about it, the more she realized she wasn't quite sure why she was taking so much interest in it. What they were feeling didn't matter. Now when she had a job to do.

Peridot stepped out of the Pearl's doorframe and into the house, the stone slab slamming shut behind her. If Pearl sealed the entrances from the inside like she said she did, there was no way back into the room. She had nowhere else to go.

She approached the coffee table, her eyes fixed upon the two. She carefully watched their gems.

"Pearl and Steven don't know I'm here. But I won't be long. You'll probably make sure of that yourselves."

Peridot paused for a moment, her eyes quickly scanning over the two for any noticeable changes in posture, facial expression, any visible sign. She found none. _"This isn't at all what I expected... are they plotting something? Or are they waiting for the right opportunity before they strike?"_

She took a deep breath.

"... Look. I know you two hate me. I've accepted that. And no matter what Pearl and Steven try to say in my defense, that's not going to change." Peridot's feet remained rooted in place, her posture still and unmoving. Her voice was unblemished.

"But I'm not here to try and convince you otherwise. There's no point in that anymore. All I _really_ want... all I want is for you to understand me. For you to know the truth. For you to see who I really am, whether you accept it or not. Even though I know you won't.

Now let's get the obvious out of the way first. In your eyes, I'm a Homeworld gem. I'm a technician under the command of Yellow Diamond, sent to Earth for a mission that presumably threatens the existence of this planet. And had you asked me a few weeks ago, you would've been correct...

... But let me set the record straight for you. In a way, you could say I'm just like you. A traitor. A rebel. And if Homeworld even knows I'm still alive, I'm sure that's how they look at me: another gem lost to Earth. Nothing more, and nothing less. I don't mean anything to them, and that's how I intend to keep it."

"What are you trying to say?"

Peridot faintly gasped in surprise, her eyes shooting to Amethyst. Almost at once, her shoulders relaxed as a sense of relief flooded her; at last, they gave _some_ telltale sign of their attention, that they were even listening. That was all she needed.

"My point is... I guess my point is to tell you that I'm no longer in service to Homeworld. I have no intention of completing my mission, nor do I any ill desires for Earth. It seems you've never understood that until now... and I doubt that's going to change."

* * *

Garnet stood up. Her eyes traced to Peridot, freezing in place.

Without so much as a whisper, the fused gem slowly walked over to Peridot. Her hands remained fixed at her sides, her eyes still exposed for the other gem to see. They almost seemed to shine, malice and hatred all but absent.

"Peridot... I want to ask you something."

Garnet almost had to stifle a chuckle as the other gem forced down a gulp and fidgeted her feet, her former bravery very quickly giving way to fear. Just another reminder of the commanding presence she had.

But her fear was unnecessary.

"Wh-what? What do you want?"

Garnet lifted both her hands, revealing the gems of both Ruby and Sapphire. She purposely reflected them off the light of the room the best she could, to emphasize the different patterns of the two gems. "Look at my hands. Do you see these?"

"Y-yes... they're two different gems."

"What does that mean to you?"

"What does that mean to me? Well... it obviously means you're a fusion." Peridot sheepishly shrugged her trembling shoulders. "Why do you ask?"

"You know why I'm asking," snapped Garnet. Her three pupils dilated, her lips devolving into a grimace. "I have a good sense of when someone's lying to me, and I _know_ you're lying! I can sense how you really feel."

"I-I..." Peridot's eyes shot open wide. Her hands and feet felt unstable as she took a few steps short steps back, before bumping into the kitchen wall. She was trapped. "I'm not lying! Honest!" she cried.

"Peridot, cut the stupid act already, and tell me what I want to know: what do I, a fusion between two separate gems, mean to you? Go on, spit it out!"

* * *

Peridot sank low to the ground. She tightly clutched her head.

 _"Why... why is she so DIFFERENT from just a few minutes ago? Why is sh... no. I should've seen this coming. I should've known their cordialness was just an act. And now..."_

"... Do you want to know?" She hardly even heard _herself_ whisper.

"Yes, I'd _very_ much like to."

Peridot's teeth ground together. Her fingers' grip on her hair only tightened as she slowly stood up, once again coming eye to eye with her.

"Fine... you said be honest... and I'll be honest with you."

With one swift motion, Peridot ripped her visor off her face, the protective covering falling to the kitchen floor. She crushed it under her foot.

"You want to know what I SEE, Garnet, when I LOOK AT YOU?!" yelled Peridot, her fingers pointing to her exposed eyes. "I don't see a gem. I see two! I see two gems combined into one fusion, not by FORCE, like we used to be so fond of on Homeworld, but by CHOICE! And while I don't understand _why_ you would make such a commitment, it doesn't matter to me if you're fused or not! IF YOU WANT TO BE FUSED, THEN GO AHEAD AND FUSE!"

Peridot gulped as she sucked down deep breaths, a light panting noise escaping he throat as she struggled for air. Her eyes remained fixed purely on Garnet, her sight carefully tracking her each and every move. The gesture was mutual.

"... I don't care what kind of a gem you are. If you're a fusion, then you're a fusion. But all that matters to me is you're a gem... or any other living creature..." mumbled Peridot at last. Her eyelids shut closed.

"Now just hurry up and shatter my gem... I know that's what you want..."

* * *

"Just hurry up and shatter my gem... I know that's what you want..."

Garnet's eyes closed as she quietly chuckled. She could hear Amethyst doing the same behind her.

"No, Peridot. I want to thank you."

Her eyes blinked open. She quickly glanced up.

"... Thank me?"

"Yes, Peridot. Thank you."

Peridot raised an eyebrow. _"This must be another trick..."_ she thought as she gazed into Garnet's eyes once again. They no longer had the same edge from a moment ago, the same softness from when their chat began taking its place. What was she planning?

She regretted shattering her visor.

"But... but why? You were accusing me of lying just a few minutes ago! Why would-"

"Peridot, I already knew you _weren't_ lying, and so did Amethyst." At the call of her name, the purple gem jumped up from the couch and walked to Garnet, coming to a halt beside her. "Yeah, sorry about that..." she quietly mumbled.

Peridot's eyes darkened.

"Wait... what are you two talking about? Was all this just some kind of act?"

"You got it. We talked about it for a while, and we decided it was the best way to go. Garnet?"

"Indeed. Peridot, we'd both like to apologize for the way we just acted, but we felt there was no other way." Garnet's top eye blinked, staring down the form of the gem in front of her. "My future vision confirmed we had to do what we just did, scaring you that way."

"No other way? Talked about it for a while?! What on Earth are you—"

"Chiilax, Peri, and just give us a second!" laughed Amethyst. "Garnet, would you let me explain to her myself?"

Her teammate smiled and turned around, taking her former place on the couch. Amethyst sheepishly grinned.

"Peridot... we know about the little talk you had with Pearl."

"Considering she described it to you only a few hours ago, you better know about it."

"No, you don't understand. I mean we know _all_ of it, including the stuff she didn't tell us." Amethyst rubbed the back of her head, her eyes taking sudden fascination in the pattern of the kitchen floor. "We know what you said about the Earth... and gems."

"What I said about the Earth and gems? What do you mean?"

Amethyst looked up. She focused right on her eyes.

"Peridot... I'm going to be blunt. Up until a little while ago, Garnet and I hated you. I mean, we'd never actually had a conversation with you before, and we barely knew anything about you, aside from all the bad stuff. Can you blame us?"

"Well... no, I guess not."

"Exactly," she nodded. "But now that we're both here, I think the reason we hated you was more than just that... it's not because we didn't know you, it's because we didn't _want_ to know you. We didn't want to accept you and Steven were friends, or sit down and just talk. Like Pearl did."

"Amethyst, what are you trying to say?" interjected Peridot, impatiently tapping her foot as she crossed her arms.

"Just give me a minute and you'll see," she replied, holding up her hand. "Like I was saying before: we didn't want to know you. We didn't want to believe that you could change, or that you were a good thing for Steven. We kind of just... generalized you."

"And you thought I was doing the same."

Amethyst squinted her eyebrows. Her lips began to curve upwards.

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, why else would Garnet ask me those questions about my opinion of her? And why would she threaten me while doing so? When you think about it, it's obvious. She was testing me, and she wanted to make sure I was going to tell the truth."

"You're correct, Peridot," called Garnet from the couch. Without missing a beat, she uncrossed her legs and stood up. "Very often, someone's true personality leaks out in times of trouble. I wanted to see if you would stick to your morals under pressure, and you passed with flying colors."

Peridot wiped a drop of sweat from her forehead, quietly letting loose a sigh of relief. _"Okay, so it WASN'T because she wanted to kill me... confirmation complete. Heh."_

Amethyst continued. "Yes, Peridot, we thought you were doing the same. You're from Homeworld, after all, and it seems they have a select view of certain gems. Like fusions and... myself."

"How would you know? Weren't you created here on Earth? I'm fairly certain Steven mentioned that to me before."

Amethyst's smile fell at once. Her eyes began to droop as she put her hands behind her back, each tightly grabbing the other. She looked down to her feet.

"Hey... Peridot?"

"What?"

Amethyst took a deep breath. She looked up once again. _"I have to know..."_ _  
_

"Peridot, what do you think of _me?_ "

* * *

"Peridot, what do you think of _me?_ "

Peridot blinked. Her eyes quickly scanned over the form of the purple gem. She placed a finger to her chin.

"Well... for an Amethyst, I have to confess you are rather small. The typical Homeworld soldier specimen, which I'm fairly certain is what they were aiming for with the construction of the nearby Kindergarten, is at least twice your size, with a far more intimidating presence and appearance. I'd say by their standards, you're a defect."

Amethyst looked down again. She hid her face from Peridot as she wiped her eye. "Just answer the question..."

"Amethyst, I might have actually shared that opinion once, but that was before I came to Earth. I don't care if you're some kind of super soldier or not. You're still a gem, a living creature, and that's all that matters."

Amethyst eyes shot up to meet hers. She could see no deceit lining Peridot's face, her expression and posture perfectly stoic. There was no sign of tension or nervousness anywhere.

"R-really? Do you mean that?"

"Of course I do. Do you not believe me?"

A smile creeped up on Amethyst's face. And she could tell her former couldn't stop one, either.

"Of course I do... we both do. Garnet and I."

* * *

Steven's eyes blinked open. He loudly yawned and stretched his arms, rolling on his back. "Ugh... Peridot, what time... Peridot?"

Steven quickly rubbed his eyes, his drowsiness fading fast as he sat up straight. The blanket was still wrapped around him, and he was still in Pearl's room, but it didn't take him very long to realize his green friend was nowhere to be found.

"Peridot?" he called again, out to the waterfalls ahead. He received nothing in return.

"Where could she be?" mumbled the child as he scratched the top of his head, once again sparing himself a look around the room. _"Maybe Pearl knows something..."_ he thought as his eyes turned to the biggest waterfall of all, in the center of the room.

"PEARL!"

The faint swishing of wind was all that met his ears, for a few brief moments. And then, without any warning, the gem he called for dropped from the sky directly opposite him, landing gracefully and without a sound. He still shot back and yelped.

"What the... jeez, Pearl, don't scare me like that!"

"What? Oh... I guess I did kind of just drop in," she chuckled. "My apologies, Steven. What do you need?"

"Have you seen Peridot around?"

"No, I haven't. Isn't she with you?"

"Yeah... at least, she _was,_ " replied Steven, his eyes circling around the room yet again for any sign of his apparently lost friend. "I'm not sure where she is now. Is she on any of the waterfalls?"

"Not that I saw. I was well above the ground, so I would've seen her if she was."

"I see..." Steven's attention slowly trickled to the door, his pupils taking in each and every detail. "But I doubt she left the room or anything like that. I have no idea why she would. Besides, didn't you say you blocked off all the ways in?"

"... From the outside."

Pearl and Steven's eyes widened. She held her breath as their gazed locked.

"S-she didn't... no, she _wouldn't_... Pearl, are you SURE you didn't lock it from _both ways?_ "

"I-I don't think so... if she really wanted to leave, I suppose there'd be nothing stopping her. But I thought—"

Steven didn't bother to wait for her to finish. Shooting up to his feet with newfound adrenaline, he ran to the door, with Pearl following close behind. His gem began to glow as a crack spread across the stone slab, its dimension growing wider. It split in two.

"Peridot!"

* * *

"Of course I do... we both do. Garnet and I. And I think—"

"Peridot!"

Garnet, Amethyst, and Peridot all turned to the temple door at the very familiar voice, a panting Steven and wide eyed Pearl meeting their eyes. The gem in question smiled and waved her arm.

"Hello, Steven!"

"WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING IN HERE? GET AWAY FROM THEM!"

Summoning his shield as quickly as he could, Steven sprinted headfirst into the kitchen. He slid to a stop in front of Peridot, holding up his barrier as he rooted his feet to the ground. He glared at the gems through the pinkish tint of clear energy.

"Guys, what were you about to do to her? How did you even get in the room to take her away?!"

"Get in the room?" cried Amethyst. "Steven, we didn't even _go_ in Pearl's room! She came out here by choice!"

"That's not true! She would never—"

"No, Steven. It is." Peridot softly sighed and kneeled to the ground, placing her fingers on Steven's tensed shoulder. "I chose to leave the room. Garnet and Amethyst had no influence in my decision."

"But why?" Steven's arms began to shake, the strain of holding the heavy shield setting in. "You were _terrified_ of them not even a few hours ago! Why would you put yourself in harm's way like that?!"

"I saw no other way! Did you see how Garnet and Amethyst reacted to Pearl's speech, Steven? Talking to them myself was the only way to get them to listen!"

Steven opened his mouth to refute, but all that left was a loud, guttural yell. His arms fell to his sides as the shield dissipated, the tension of keeping the summoned weapon finally proving to be too great for the young boy to handle. He collapsed to the ground in a sweaty, exhausted heap, breathing heavily.

"P-Peridot... go and get behind Pearl. She'll keep you safe," he mumbled. He turned his head to the temple door, the form of Pearl sprinting to the group catching his drooping eyes. She kneeled next to him and put her hand on his forehead.

"He'll be fine, he's just exhausted..." she whispered to herself, thankful in her mind that the strain of overusing his gem powers didn't cause any greater damage. She turned her attention to Peridot.

"Peridot, what's going on? Why are you here with Garnet and Amethyst?"

"P, it's fine! We were just talking, that's all. We aren't going to hurt her," interrupted Amethyst. Garnet nodded in agreement with her reasoning, crossing her arms as she leaned against the counter.

"... They're telling the truth, Pearl. They didn't do anything to hurt me."

Pearl again glanced at her other two teammates, a frown spreading as she crossed her legs in a sitting position.

 _"But why? Why are they NOT going to hurt her? It was only a few hours ago when they were so eager to attack... and I was only pretending to be confident when I reassured Peridot so Steven wouldn't get nervous. But did they really...?"_

"Garnet?"

"Yes, Pearl?"

She took a deep breath. "Why are you so different now? What made you change?"

Much to Pearl and Amethyst's surprise, the fused gem closed her eyes and began to chuckle. "So now the shoe's on the other foot... funny how everything seems to come around. I think you and I know that well, Pearl."

"Garnet, just get to the point."

Garnet turned her back to the group and walked to the coffee table, her silver shades still in the same spot. She picked them up and placed them back on her face, her eyes blinking to adjust to the darkened light.

"... Pearl, you told me to look into my future vision. I did."

Garnet threw a glance over her shoulder. She caught the form of Peridot, still and unmoving as she intently gazed back. A grin threatened to break out on her formerly stoic expression.

"And do you want to know what I saw?"

"... What?"

Garnet turned around once again. She walked over to Peridot and Pearl, taking a seat immediately opposite the two. She glanced all around the room behind her shades, allowing herself a moment to collect her thoughts.

"I looked into my own future. Nobody else's, just mine. When I use my future vision, I see many different paths and alleyways, some good, and some bad. But there was only one outcome, and it fascinated me... it was a future conversation between you and I. One in which you described to me, in detail, what happened between you and Peridot at the car wash. One in which you describe your... little chat."

Pearl and Peridot glanced at each other from the corner of their eyes, locking eye contact. The former Homeworld gem sheepishly grinned and shrugged her shoulders. Pearl rolled her eyes, smiling ever so slightly.

"It didn't take me long to realize what you described in that vision was what happened in reality. It all added up: why else would you be willing to protect Peridot, unless you were so significantly swayed by her... like you were in what I saw?"

"Then what exactly _did_ you see, Garnet? Tell me!"

* * *

"Then what exactly _did_ you see, Garnet? Tell me!"

From behind Pearl, nobody besides Peridot heard Steven's groan. And nobody besides Peridot noticed him sit up.

"P-Peridot..." he mumbled, his voice hoarse and uneven, but still serving to gain her attention at once. "You need to go back to the room..."

Much to Steven's surprise, the gem in question shook her head. Nevertheless, her wide, concerned eyes quickly traced over him from head to toe before wrapping her arms around him and bringing him close. She could feel him shivering in her grip.

"Steven," she whispered in his ear. "It's going to be okay, I promise. They're not going to hurt me."

"B-but you don't know that! Just look at them, they look—"

"Like they're very interested in what Garnet's about to say. Here, let's just listen."

Steven put a halt to his speech and turned his eyes to Garnet, as did Peridot. He had barely been listening to what they were talking about before; just what _was_ she about to tell the rest of them?

She cleared her throat. Now was the time to find out.

"Do you want to know what I saw, Pearl? Because what I saw... was not Peridot. And the reason I didn't see Peridot, is because I instead saw a _completely_ different being! I didn't see the evil of Homeworld shrunken down like we all thought her to be, but instead a kind, honest gem whose only interest is peaceful cooperation! I saw a gem who's changed _,_ because of Steven, and the EARTH!"

Garnet's voice slowly faded, her speech concluded at last. Everyone sat still for a few moments. Quietly.

And then Amethyst spoke up.

"Pearl... I don't have future vision like Garnet does. But like you, just a little while ago... I had a talk with Peridot. And everything Garnet just said is true. She's not evil. She's not like Homeworld. She's her own gem. And maybe, soon enough... she'll be a friend. Our friend."

* * *

Pearl's eyes clicked to everyone in the room, as if she were taking photographs. Garnet. Amethyst. Steven. Peridot.

They all shared one trait: they were smiling. Not necessarily at each other, but the grins were there, no matter how small or large.

She was the only exception.

 _"Does Garnet really mean that? Well... unless she's REALLY passionate about something, she won't go off like that... and everything she said is exactly how I felt. She's being honest about her feelings. And Amethyst, too..."_

A big smile spread across her lips. She was the exception no longer.

"Garnet... do you truly understand now why Steven and I were so desperate to protect her?"

"I do, Pearl," replied Garnet. "And I'd like to thank you... if it weren't for you, we would've attacked without a second thought when Steven brought her in. And we wouldn't have had the chance to hear her out."

Steven giggled and leaned against Peridot, wrapping her in a hug as a big, rosy smile emerged. She gladly returned the embrace.

"Oh, and Peri..." piped in Amethyst. "Sorry for scaring you like that."

"It was nothing. Don't worry about it."

Peridot spoke in a convincing, authoritative tone, bringing an end to the talk amongst the four of them. As silence fell upon them at last, a peaceful tranquil overtook the room, and the Crystal Gems. But Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst didn't dare to interrupt the moment; they couldn't possibly look away from the scene before them.

They couldn't turn away from the warm, loving hug between the two. From the bond between Peridot and Steven.

In a way, watching Steven and Peridot's friendship, unfolding before their eyes, was almost strange to look at, after everything that had happened to the team since he made his fateful decision. But for the first time since they brought him back at last, they didn't question. They didn't wonder what Steven possibly saw in her that made him believe.

They understood now.

They all did.

* * *

Steven's eyes shot wide. His mouth fell into an open smile.

"Hey... Peridot!"

Peridot gently grabbed his shoulders and pushed him out in front of her, coming eye to eye with the boy. "What? What's wrong?"

"You know, I just realized something... now that you're friends with Garnet and Amethyst—wait. You are friends with them now... aren't you?"

Peridot's eyes looked to the two gems, as if asking them the very same question. They both smiled.

"Yes, Steven. I am."

Steven's eyes turned to stars.

"Wow, this... this is great! Think about it, Peridot! We can all go on big adventures, and then to the movies or out for pizza or something, we can do whatever we want! And now that we're all friends, there doesn't have to be any more fighting..."

Peridot paused for a moment, her gaze fixed to the child in her lap. Her eyes seemed to light at the revelation.

He was right.

"Steven... that sounds wonderful. It really does."

With no more needed to be said, Peridot closed her eyes and brought him close, the feeling of his arms wrapping around her coaxing a smile. And even though he was quieter in her arms, she still heard him say one last thought:

"It _will_ be wonderful, Peridot... now that you're a Crystal Gem..."

* * *

 **The final chapter will be released on Monday, January 18th at 7:00 PM Central Standard Time. IF I MISS THIS DAY BECAUSE THE CHAPTER ISN'T COMPLETE (which may be a possibility, I've been pouring everything into this one and I haven't even started the finale yet, contrary to what I said I would do earlier), than it will instead be released on Thursday, January 21st at 7:00 PM Central Standard Time. If you live outside North America, the time might vary wildly, but there are many websites you can use to convert the difference.**

 **Anyways, I wasn't planning on doing this, but recent events in the SU community have forced my hand. I need to discuss my next story, _Into Oblivion,_ a little more.**

 **While she won't be the main focus, Malachite will be present in the beginning. The reason I'm nervous is because there's a very real possibility that by the time I have the story written out (I'm not planning to release any chapters until I've finished writing the _entire_ thing), the whole Malachite situation will have been resolved on the show. I'm thinking it would be a little awkward to release a story with Malachite potentially months after that plot arc has ended, so just be prepared for that. I'll reiterate this in _Into Oblivion_ when it's released.**

 **Well, I guess that's it. One last chapter... we're reaching the end.**

 **Have a nice day.**


	28. Epilogue

**Hey everyone, and welcome back to Don't Even Bother. For the last time...**

 **Usually, authors are supposed to give special thanks to specific people right about now, but I can't. And the reason for that is because there's too many of you. If you've reviewed (and I've read every review I've ever gotten), favorited, followed, or even just read the story, I can't possibly begin to thank you enough. I know all this may sound cliche, but I swear I mean it from the bottom of my heart. I love you all.**

 **Well, I guess there's nowhere left to go but forward. And so, for the final time in Don't Even Bother, on with the story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. Steven Universe is owned by Rebecca Sugar.**

Present

 _"Thoughts"/Recordings_

 **Author's Note**

 _ **Flashback**_

* * *

 _ **"Wow, this... this is great! Think about it, Peridot! We can all go on big adventures, and then to the movies or out for pizza or something, we can do whatever we want! And now that we're all friends, there doesn't have to be anymore fighting..."**_

 ** _"Steven... that sounds wonderful."_**

 ** _"It will be wonderful, Peridot... now that you're a Crystal Gem..."_**

* * *

 **Three months later...**

* * *

"Steven, I'm fairly... no, completely certain we've seen this one before."

"Aw, come on, Peri! Even if it _is_ a rerun, it's still a classic. Just one more and then we'll watch something else, I promise."

Peridot shook her head and rolled her eyes, careful to make sure Steven didn't notice either gesture. With a heavy sigh dragging her down, she turned her attention back to the television, for yet another episode of Crying Breakfast Friends. _"Steven really seems to like this show, but I don't_ _see the appeal in it... I wonder if she does, either?"_

"Hey, Amethyst?"

"Yeah?"

"Question. Do you like this human cartoon show Steven's so fond of?"

"Crying Breakfast Friends?" yelled Amethyst from downstairs, after a moment of silence. "Nah, not really. Why?"

"Oh... no reason," grinned Peridot. Her opinion now confirmed in her mind, she turned her attention back to the TV, expecting to see more of the same: the crying waffle, the crying pear, the crying, well, everyone. And she was right.

"Peridot, are you even watching?" said Steven, his eyes fixed on the screen.

"Yes, Steven, I'm watching." With another small sigh, she wrapped her arm around Steven's shoulder, a gesture he happily reciprocated as he leaned into her side. Her eyelids began to droop. "I'm watching..."

"HEH HEY!"

As the eardrum shattering shattering yell set in, Peridot practically flew to the wall of Steven's room, her voice stuck in her throat from shock. Both Amethyst and Steven began to laugh as she shapeshifted back to her normal form.

"AMETHYST! Why'd you have to startle me like that?" said Peridot, after allowing herself a moment to catch her breath.

"Sorry, Peridot, but it was too perfect to resist. You looked like you were about to fall asleep."

"That's because I was..." she mumbled as she crawled back to her spot next to Steven, her back still lightly trembling from the surprise. Amethyst shrugged and reached into the popcorn bowl.

Just then, the front door to the house rattled open, the sound of what they knew to be Pearl's feet echoing throughout. Peridot stood up and glanced down to the floor below, a smile bursting forth almost at once.

"Pearl, did Greg have one?"

"I'm sorry, Peridot, but he didn't. And if there wasn't one in that gigantic barn of his, there probably isn't one anywhere in Beach City."

Peridot's face went crestfallen. Her knees began to wobble as she sank to the floor. Without missing a beat, she scrunched herself into a ball, burying her face in her arms and gently rocking herself back and forth. Steven put a reassuring hand on her back.

"Peridot? Hey, it's okay!"

"No it's not, Steven!" Her voice was rather muffled through her limb enhancers, and she made no attempt to clarify. "You know how badly I wanted to build you that miniature hover car for your birthday. But if Greg doesn't have a combustible twin turbine engine in the forty watt range..."

"Peri, you don't need to be sad about it. I'm sorry you won't be able to finish it, but I'll be okay. Promise."

Peridot glanced at the child from the corner of her eye. A smile was firmly etched on his face, with both his hands suspended slightly higher than normal. She could already tell what he was planning to do next.

"... Thank you, Steven."

With no more needed to be said, Peridot leaned forward and took Steven in her arms. And just like so many times before, the same infectious smile spread across her as she felt his tiny hands gently rub her back, deeply wrapped in their embrace. Neither whispered a sound to each other. They didn't have to.

Pearl and Amethyst glanced at each other and smiled. They had both seen this picture countless times in the past few months, but it never got old.

Never.

Finally, after another minute or two, Steven gently sighed and wiggled out of her grasp. Nevertheless, she remained in a kneeling position, keeping herself eye to eye with him. They both smiled once again, almost simultaneously.

"Again, thank you Steven. But I'm still sorry about the hover car. I know how much you liked it in that movie."

"It's fine _,_ Peridot! I can always settle for one of those gimmicky ones that don't actually fly."

Peridot smiled and shrugged her shoulders. Before she could even open her mouth to reply, however, they were all cut off by a bout of laughter from Amethyst, from the end of Steven's bed. She hopped off walked over to Peridot, wrapping her arm around her shoulder.

"Still as big a softie as ever, huh Peri?"

"Softie? Why do you say that?"

"Because, well..." Amethyst's gaze flickered to Steven, the same content smile from a moment ago still frozen on his face. "You sure like giving big hugs to Steven a lot, and I mean a _lot._ And me, and Pearl and Garnet, and Greg and Connie too."

"So I've grown fond of the human tradition." Try as she might, Peridot couldn't help but allow a sly grin to emerge. "Is there a problem with that?"

Amethyst said nothing in response; there was no need to. She didn't need words to express herself as she wrapped her other arm around Peridot, pulling her into the very same hug she joked about a moment ago. Peridot certainly didn't complain.

And then she finally heard her whisper. "Not at all..."

* * *

As she felt the warp stream around her fade, Garnet opened her eyes. She blinked.

"Peridot, thank you for the..."

As she glanced over the living room of the house, the fused gem's voice tapered off. Unlike just a few short hours ago, nobody seemed to be around. _"Strange... did they go somewhere? I didn't see this happening in my-"_

"GROUP HUG!"

As the excited shout echoed throughout the house, Garnet's normal stoic expression gave way to a light fit of laughter. Steven's exclamation gave away both where they were, and what they were about to do. And she knew, from quite a bit of experience in the past three months, that it was one of his favorite things to do.

Careful to make her steps as quiet as possible, Garnet walked into the foyer and glanced up to the boy's room. From what she could tell above the stairs, he, Peridot, Amethyst, and Pearl were all indeed wrapped in a tight embrace. Her lips curled upwards.

Garnet approached the foot of the stairs. She slowly ascended up to his room, her three eyes carefully scanning the other Crystal Gems. None of them seemed to be aware of her presence. Not for long.

"Did you forget me?"

Before any of the others had a chance to look, Garnet kneeled down and grabbed the four in her arms, joining the group embrace. She still had no idea why or for what they were hugging for, but it didn't really matter.

It was a group hug, simple as that. A team hug. And they were a team, after all.

They were the Crystal Gems.

* * *

Pearl's eyes snapped open. She just remembered.

"Oh... Steven?"

Much to the annoyance of the other four, Pearl removed her arms from their group hug and stood up, serving to break it up. She wasn't particularly happy about ending the team embrace, but somebody had to do it. And what she had to say was rather important.

After Amethyst and Garnet both moved away, the child's familiar red shirt was found buried in Peridot's arms. He turned his head to look at her out of the corner of his eye. "What?"

"I spoke to Greg down at the barn. He said he needed your help at the car wash. Something about a big job with someone's new car."

"Oh, it must be the mayor's new limousine! I promised dad to help wash it when he told me about it, I gotta go!" With his eyes wide and shining brightly, Steven hopped out of Peridot's arms and ran down the stairs, swiping his jacket from the nearby coat pegs and yanking the door open. "Bye guys!" he yelled as he ran out to the front porch.

She knew he couldn't see her, but Peridot waved goodbye anyways. Garnet glanced over and smiled.

"Peridot, as I was _planning_ to say, I want to thank you. That new global satellite scanner for gems you invented is proving to be invaluable; without it, that corrupted monster probably would've slipped by us undetected."

"Oh, that old thing? It's nothing," chuckled Peridot, rubbing her fingers behind her head. "Anything to help the team. Consider it my apology for my incompetence at field work."

"Hey, don't say that!" exclaimed Pearl. "You know as well as we do you're getting stronger every day. You've become quite the shot with your arm cannon."

Peridot glanced at Pearl, and vice versa. They both smiled.

For the next few moments, the room fell silent. It wasn't awkward or forced, however; rather, it was quite the opposite. They had no qualms in just quietly enjoying each other's company, something they had learned to do very well in recent months.

At least, until Peridot looked down to the open front door and sighed. Amethyst lightly frowned and walked over to her friend, having a seat next to her.

"Hey... are you okay?"

"Yes, Amethyst, I'm fine," said Peridot, her eyes unmoving. "I'm just... thinking."

"Oh. Well..." Amethyst looked to the far wall of the house, avoiding eye contact just as she was. "You want to talk about it?"

Peridot tore her gaze away from the door and looked around Steven's room, at each occupant. Pearl looked at her with her arms crossed, her eyes creased with concern. She couldn't tell what was going on with Garnet behind her shades, but it almost felt to her like she was similar. And of course, Amethyst looked on with a mixture of worry and anticipation.

She made up her mind.

"Hey, Garnet?"

"Yes?"

"Listen, if we're not needed for any missions in a while... would it be okay if I went for a walk?"

Ever since she had become acquainted with the Crystal Gems, Peridot's old Kindergarten habit had returned with a vengeance. Whether it be short or long, her walks always felt like a good way to clear her mind and help put whatever was troubling her behind, even if just for a little while. And she certainly had a lot to think about this time.

Garnet knew this well, as did the others. Considering they had all gone on one with her, at one point or another, she knew how beneficial it would be. How could she say no?

"Of course. We don't have any more mission work or training today. Take all the time you need."

Peridot nodded. Without a word to the others, she stood up and descended Steven's stairs, walking out the open front door and gently closing it behind her. Pearl looked to Garnet.

"... Garnet? Is she going to be okay?"

Garnet took off her shades and set them on top of the TV. She closed her eyes and focused.

It only took a few seconds for her to smile. Amethyst and Pearl did the same.

"She'll be fine, Pearl. She'll be just fine..."

* * *

Peridot eyes trickled down. The city below her beckoned.

Ever since she and Steven made their promise to each other on this hill, it had become one of her favorite places to go. The view below was fantastic; she could see every aspect of the city, from the beaches to the temple. And when she was at the very top, everything else just seemed so... _small._

In a way, it gave her perspective. Being up here, looking down at everything below there were really beautiful sights to see. The sparkling ocean water, the sunlight skies above (or stars at night), the city and all its people...

When she came here, her mission was to destroy it. No longer.

"I'm a Crystal Gem..."

Without another word to herself, Peridot carefully walked to the edge of the cliff and sat down. She allowed her legs to dangle over the ledge, her eyes sucking in each and every detail of Beach City. Nothing was different from the last time she was here, or the time before that, or the time before _that._ But she didn't care. It was all still wondrous to look at.

Which reminded her.

With a heavy sigh, Peridot tore her eyes away from Beach City. Her gaze coming to rest on her right arm, her fingers instinctively whirled to form her screen. She saved her last digit to operate it; she wouldn't be using it to show funny movies to Steven like usual.

With bated breath, Peridot entered a command. She opened the log program.

The first sight to meet her eyes was the archive. Over time, she had saved many different logs from many different Homeworld gems, and had accumulated quite the collection. But those were the least of her worries.

With another swipe of her finger, Peridot opened her own archive. She scrolled down through the list; there were hundreds upon hundreds of logs she had recorded, almost each and every day of her life. But there had been nothing new for the past three and a half months.

Still, she was looking at these for a reason. And there were three logs in particular she wanted to hear.

Peridot once again scrolled to the top, the most recent logs she had recorded. The first one to catch her eye was Log 719. The day she met Steven in the Kindergarten. She still remembered every detail.

Her finger hovered over the screen. And then, she pressed play.

 _"Log 719. This is Peridot, updating status. Still stuck on the planet known as Earth. My mission to observe the Clusters has been compromised. My new primary objective is to find transportation back to Homeworld to alert Yellow Diamond of all that has... happened here."_

Peridot closed her eyes.

The Clusters. Those hideous gem fusion experiments of her own creation. They used to be her pride and joy, her greatest accomplishment when compared to the other technological advancements made by Homeworld's forces.

It made her sick just thinking about it.

The log's replay completed, Peridot's finger traced to the next audio clip, Log 720. Recorded almost immediately after she encountered Steven for the second time. She pressed play once again.

 _"Log 720. This is Peridot, updating status. Still stuck on Earth, as always. Recent events have grown more interesting. I've nearly been captured by the Crystal Gems after an extended period of inactivity, and I have with 100% certainty been discovered by the Steven, who is mysteriously taking shelter in the Kindergarten. I can't imagine why. It doesn't seem like a threat, however. It seems... different, somehow."_

This one brought a smile to her face.

Though she was careful not to show it in her recording, she could still remember the sense of concern she felt for him. After all, wasn't he always just some happy go lucky gem that looked like an undersized human? Why was he suddenly so different? And why was he hiding in the Kindergarten?

It would only take her a day to find out. Her finger clicked on the final log.

 _"Log 721. This is Peridot, updating status. Still... on planet Earth. I... I don't know what to do."_

Though she didn't realize it until a little while later, Peridot was lying. She knew exactly what to do.

Looking back, it was almost silly to think about, that night in the underground chamber. All they did was play with a Rubik's Cube and a deck of cards; how could something so simple cause such a dramatic shift in her mindset, going from a strong ambition to escape Earth to sudden hesitation? How was he able to change her so quickly?

Just like when she first recorded the log, she didn't have to take long to figure out why. It was because he made her happy. Being on Earth with Steven made her happy.

And she knew she wasn't going to leave him.

Her recollections complete, Peridot swiped her finger once again, moving the archives away. The audio software beckoned.

Without even stopping to think, she pressed record.

"Log 722. This is Peridot, updating status... and I do have a rather important change to record.

When I first arrived on Earth, my mission was to observe the Clusters. I failed. The Crystal Gems gave never ending chase to me from the second I landed here, leaving me stranded and unable to do my job. As you would put it, I was defective. However...

The more I think about it, the more I realize something. I can't possibly expect you to understand what I'm about to say. But... after all the wonderful things I've learned and experienced here on Earth, after making peace with Steven and the Crystal Gems, you can consider my mission complete. For good.

I am no longer Peridot Facet 2F5L, Cut 5XG, under the command of Yellow Diamond. I am Peridot of the Crystal Gems, the guardians of the planet Earth. As far as you're concerned, you can put me on the rebel list you made all those years ago. But I know you won't, because I don't matter to you. I never did...

But I matter to them. And that's all I need."

Peridot stopped the recording. Her fingers dissipated the screen and returned to their original positions at once.

She knew nobody aside from herself and maybe the Crystal Gems was ever going to hear that audio log. She had no way of submitting them to Yellow Diamond from Earth, and there was no conceivable way to relay the message to any other Homeworld gems. What she just recorded was created purely for herself.

It took her three months after she joined the gems. But in her mind, the book was finally closed. She had closure at last.

She wasn't a Homeworld gem. She was created there, but that wasn't who she was. She was an Earth gem.

And she would protect the planet that gave her so much.

Peridot took off her visor and placed it next to her. She didn't want it to interfere with what was coming next.

* * *

"PERIDOT? HEY, PERIDOT!"

His call echoed all around him, the hollow, biting wind his only reward. Undeterred with his search, Steven once again began to sprint up the hill, his lungs desperately fighting away the closing exhaustion.

 _"C'mon, Garnet said she'd be up here!"_ he thought. _"Isn't she-"_

Both Steven's mind and feet came to a halt. As the top of the hill came into view, his watery, unblinking eyes vaguely caught the familiar green sight of his friend, sitting along the edge of the cliff. It was almost the exact spot they made their pinky swear to each other.

Steven rubbed his eyes, blinking the water generated by the whipping wind away. As he looked up once again, he put his hand to his mouth.

Peridot's fingers obstructed her face, but he could tell she was crying, and rather furiously at that. Her chest heaved as she continually took deep breaths, an occasional gasp being the only breakup from the monotonous sobbing.

Steven had no idea why. But he needed to know. Now.

"Peridot?"

* * *

"Peridot?"

Beneath her obstructed face, Peridot couldn't help but grin. She had a feeling he would show up.

As she forced herself to slow her crying enough to speak legibly, Peridot lowered her arms and looked towards Steven, already in the process of running to her side. She could imagine how different she appeared to him, the red and puffy eyes standing out in particular.

"Hello, Steven..."

"Peridot, what happened to you? Did somebody hurt you? Are you-"

"Steven, I assure you, I'm fine. Nobody hurt me."

"Then why are you crying?" With paranoia taking priority over everything, Steven checked over his friend anyways; nothing about her, aside from her tear streaked face, seemed outwardly. What could be wrong? Why was she so sad?

Peridot gazed at him for a second, and vice versa. And then, without a warning, she leaned forward and brought him into her arms. She smiled as she felt his own wrap around her at once.

"I'm crying because I'm happy, Steven..."

* * *

"I'm crying because I'm happy, Steven..."

"... Because you're happy? About what?"

Peridot paused for a moment. Since she had just been recollecting her experiences on Earth, the truth was that there were a lot of things she could say she was happy about. The Earth itself. The Crystal Gems. Steven. How could she possibly list them all?

She couldn't. But she knew what to say anyways.

"I'm happy because of how lucky I am to have you, Steven... and the Earth, and everyone else..."

* * *

Steven felt a smile erupt. It was just like Garnet said.

 _"She probably recorded that audio log by now... I guess she's completely separated herself from Homeworld. Thank you, Peridot..."_

For the next few moments, neither Peridot nor Steven moved an inch. They didn't have to. Both were perfectly content to stay in each other's arms, locked in the same hug they had done so many times before.

But he knew they couldn't stay on this hill forever. It was time to move on.

"Peridot..." he whispered, pushing away from her. "I came up here to come get you. Garnet said you need to come back down to the city."

"Why?"

Steven grinned.

"Dad stopped by the house earlier. He said he found the engine you need in his old junk pile from the garage."

Peridot said nothing for a moment, her face frozen in thought. And then an ear to ear smile exploded.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS? Steven, this is great! Now I can make you your gift!" With a great burst of adrenaline, Peridot picked up the child and spun him around, laughing all the way. He began to do the same.

"YES, YES! NOW YOU CAN-" Steven felt a wave of nausea envelop him, his former elation fading at once. "PLEASE PUT ME DOWN!"

Having learned from past experience, Peridot did so at once. Steven took a deep breath and wobbled for a moment from dizziness, before shaking his head and reorienting himself.

"Thank you. As I was saying, dad said he found a working twin turbine engine thingy lying around. I'm not sure where exactly he got it from, but he has it. He said he's dropping it off at the barn so we can work on the hover car without being interrupted."

Peridot nodded, placing a hand on her chin. "Understandable. But Steven, even though I'm very skilled at these sorts of projects, I can't do this alone. I was planning on asking for assistance from-"

"Don't even bother. Pearl and the others have already promised to help. Heck, I even called Connie and she said she'd be coming too. We're in this together, Peridot."

Peridot paused for a moment, her eyes carefully scanning over the smiling child in front of her. It didn't take her long to realize how right he was.

She wasn't alone in working on this hover car. And for that matter, she wasn't alone... at all. Not like on Homeworld.

They were all together. And she was happy.

"Yes, Steven. We are..."

* * *

The sun was just beginning to set when he saw it.

As they passed by a particularly large bush in the march down the hill, Steven couldn't help but absentmindedly glance at it. As his eyes caught something unusually bright, however, he stopped in his tracks. He quickly did a double take to confirm he saw correctly.

"Hey... Peridot, look at this!"

Steven ran over to the side of the bush and squatted down, Peridot following close behind. It was low to the ground, and obscured by the tall grass all around it, but they could still see it. It was impossible to miss something so striking.

"Steven, what is that?"

Steven's hand reached out to the stem of the flower, careful to avoid any thorns. With one great tug, he yanked it free. He held it up for her to see.

"It's a pink rose."

"A rose?"

"Yes. You know, the flower." Steven rolled the flower around his fingers, taking in every detail. "I don't think I've ever seen one growing around here before... isn't it pretty?"

Peridot walked next to the child and sat down, her eyes fixated on the flower. He held it out for her to take. She did.

"... It's lovely, Steven."

Steven smiled. He leaned into Peridot's side and wrapped his arms around her.

"You know, I remember my dad telling me... the rose was always my mom's favorite flower. He said she saw it as a symbol of elegance, and grace. But most importantly, of all the beauty on Earth. Of all the beauty of life."

"I see... would you like it back, Steven?"

Steven looked up at the flower in her fingers for a moment. He shook his head.

"Peridot... I want you to keep that flower. It's from me to you. And... I guess you could say it's from the Earth, too..."

Peridot allowed a smile to slowly emerge. Her eyes looked to the vivid sunset above.

"Thank you, Steven. I will..."

* * *

 **... It's really over, isn't it?**

 **To be completely honest with you, this all just feels... weird. I mean, I've spent so much time the past five months planning what's coming next, proofreading, all that stuff. To put it all behind me... it's going to be strange. I've been preparing for a while now, but leaving Don't Even Bother behind is going to be a little tougher than I first thought.**

 **But that's not the last message I want to leave with you all. What I want to say is this: if at any point in this story, I made you smile, frown, laugh, cry, get angry, whatever your emotions may be, then I accomplished my job as a writer. But with that being said, I truly do hope, out of everything else, I made you all smile at one point or another. There was a little sadness along the way, sure, but in the end, I always did have a happy ending planned. With plenty of hugs along the way, of course.**

 **So... I guess that's the end of this adventure. But at the same time, I think we can also see this as the start of another. I can't wait to get started writing _Into Oblivion;_ I've had many, many, many ideas swimming around for a while now, and the only reason I've held off on writing is to stay focused on the final chapters of Don't Even Bother. It'll take a while to finish, but when it's done, I'll start publishing it on a weekly basis. Until then, I have some other SU stories to wrap up, and I'm sure I'll have an occasional one shot or two to write, so keep an eye out for me.**

 **Well... I suppose that's it. Don't just have a nice day, have a fantastic one. I'll see you all later.**


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